KOTOBUKI Receives Special Commendation for Next Generation Leadership at the 5th Healthy Aging Prize for Asian Innovation
We are pleased to announce that Non-Profit Corporation KOTOBUKI (Japan) has received the Special Commendation for Next Generation Leadership at the 5th Healthy Aging Prize for Asian Innovation (HAPI).
Our initiative, “KOTOBUKI Care Patterns: Supporting ‘Mutual Relationships’ in Long-Term Care,” was recognized through this international award program organized by the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
Turning Practical Care Knowledge into Shared Learning
KOTOBUKI CARE Patterns is a Japan-origin approach to improving the quality of care by moving beyond the conventional one-way relationship between caregivers and care recipients toward “care for living together.”
Building on years of field research in Japanese eldercare settings, the project analyzed more than 1,300 examples of care practices and identified 30 recurring patterns using the Pattern Language methodology.
These patterns capture practical wisdom that often remains unspoken in everyday care, making it possible for professionals to share, discuss, and adapt valuable practices across different care settings.
Rather than prescribing standardized solutions, KOTOBUKI CARE Patterns supports reflection, dialogue, and continuous learning among care professionals.
To date, the initiative has reached more than 250 eldercare facilities and over 4,500 participants in Japan. More than 50 facilities and care units have also begun independently conducting workshops and reflective learning activities using the approach.
The project has also expanded internationally, including workshops and facilitator training programs in Singapore.
Looking Ahead
This recognition is an important milestone in our efforts to connect research, practical knowledge, and everyday care.
We will continue working with care professionals, researchers, and international partners to strengthen the evidence base, support implementation, and share adaptable approaches to better care across Asia and beyond.
Our vision remains unchanged: to create a society where growing older is something we can genuinely celebrate, and where people continue to live together with dignity, meaning, and mutual support.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 10, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Official Announcement
