Publication Project: Ageing and Elderly Care in German and Japanese Communities

Japan and Germany are confronting the fast ageing of their population together with the decline of traditional two or three generation family and household structures. The ensuing increasing demand for elderly care poses severe social as well as economic and fiscal challenges. These challenges are primarily and utmost felt at the community level. In rural areas, well-functioning neighbourhood communities can to some extent compensate for the lack of family support. However, rural areas face additional hardship caused by the migration of the younger working population into urban agglomerations.

Applying a holistic and comparative approach, this project aims at a better understanding of the various individual, social, economic, legal and political issues raised by rapid demographic change at the level of local communities both in rural and metropolitan settings. Whereas the holistic perspective will allow us to better grasp the complexity created by the interrelations between the psychological, social, economic and political factors involved, the comparative framework will enable us to appreciate the cultural and legal contingencies and their influence on both problem configurations and solution strategies. As a result, we not only aim at enhancing academic knowledge, but also want to inform civil society organizations as well as policy makers at the central and local level of government in both countries about best practices.

As the book addresses a wider public in both Germany and Japan, it is intended to be published in both German and Japanese. The German version Alterung und Pflege als kommunale Aufgabe. Deutsche und Japanische Ansätze und Erfahrungen (Springer) was published in 2022 as an open access book publication.