KOTOBUKI Joins SG Lab Kickoff Event in Tokyo to Explore the Future of Ageing and Care
Updated: Oct 28
On October 26, 2026, KOTOBUKI participated in the kickoff event hosted by SG Lab in Tokyo, Japan, under the theme “Innovating for a Super-Aged Asia: Japanese Care and SINIC Theory.”
Held at Diagonal Run Tokyo, the event featured a dialogue between Ikuo Tateishi, President of the Human Renaissance Institute, and Tomoki Kaneko, Founder and Representative Director of KOTOBUKI. The discussion was moderated by Kensuke Hiwatashi of SG Lab.
Together, they explored how Japan's experience as a super-aged society could contribute to the future of care, innovation, and social development across Asia.
Rethinking the Future of Ageing Through SINIC Theory
A central theme of the discussion was OMRON's SINIC Theory, a future prediction framework developed by OMRON founder Kazuma Tateishi and his collaborators in 1970.
SINIC Theory describes how science, technology, and society evolve through their mutual interactions, offering a perspective on how innovation can respond to changing social needs.
The dialogue explored what this framework could mean for ageing societies, particularly as countries face demographic change, workforce shortages, and the need to rethink existing care systems.
Rather than focusing solely on efficiency or technological solutions, the discussion emphasized human autonomy, meaningful relationships, and the importance of creating societies in which people can continue to contribute throughout their lives.
Sharing Japan's Experience with the World
Tomoki shared insights from more than a decade of research into Japanese eldercare practices, including over 1,300 examples of care that informed the development of 30 essential care patterns.
These findings form the foundation of KOTOBUKI CARE, an approach that moves beyond the conventional relationship of “caregiver and care recipient” toward care for living together.
Tomoki also emphasized that Japan's experience should not be regarded as a universal model for other countries.
Japan has accumulated valuable knowledge through decades of population ageing, but this includes not only successful practices, but also mistakes, challenges, and lessons learned along the way.
Sharing these experiences openly—and learning from the diverse perspectives of other countries—is essential to developing better approaches to ageing and care.
Introducing IHGA to a Japanese Audience
During the event, KOTOBUKI also publicly introduced IHGA (Innovation Hub for Global Ageing) to a Japanese audience for the first time.
IHGA is an international initiative under development that aims to connect care practitioners, researchers, companies, innovators, and organizations across countries and sectors.
Its vision is to encourage collaboration beyond organizational and competitive boundaries, bringing together diverse perspectives to address the shared challenges of global ageing.
KOTOBUKI is currently preparing for IHGA's planned launch in March 2027, with Care Show Japan 2027 Global Day, scheduled for March 19 in Tokyo, envisioned as a key opportunity for international exchange and collaboration.
The Dialogue: Rethinking Care, Autonomy, and Community
1. From Optimization Society to Natural Society
Ikuo-san explained SINIC Theory's transition from an Optimization Society, characterized by efficiency, standardization, and clearly defined roles, toward a Natural Society, where people can exercise greater autonomy and support one another through more flexible communities.
He emphasized the importance of moving beyond systems that organize people's lives around fixed rules, toward environments that allow individuals to make their own choices and contribute according to their abilities.
Tomoki connected this vision to eldercare, where standardized routines and institutional requirements can sometimes take priority over the preferences and capabilities of older people.
2. Rethinking Workforce Shortages and Care Systems
Tomoki questioned whether workforce shortages can be addressed simply by increasing staff numbers or introducing new technologies. He argued that existing care systems often define shortages according to institutional staffing requirements, without sufficiently reconsidering how care itself could be organized.
Drawing on examples from care settings, he highlighted the importance of recognizing older people's remaining abilities and creating opportunities for them to participate in daily life rather than being treated solely as recipients of support.
Ikuo-san similarly questioned whether society has become too focused on maintaining existing systems instead of designing systems around people's actual needs. He discussed the potential of personalized support and stronger connections between care providers, healthcare professionals, and communities.
3. Care Beyond Economic Efficiency: Relationships and Community
The discussion also addressed what makes care meaningful beyond financial resources or operational efficiency.
Ikuo-san emphasized the importance of community, mutual support, and human relationships in a society where individuals can live with dignity and a sense of purpose. He also connected ageing with broader questions of inclusion, noting that changes in physical abilities are experiences that many people will encounter throughout their lives.
Tomoki shared how his experiences in eldercare have challenged conventional assumptions about what constitutes good care. A person's well-being cannot be determined by the amount of money spent or the level of services provided alone. Opportunities to contribute, relationships with others, and the ability to live in one's own way are equally important.
Together, these perspectives suggested that the future of ageing requires not only better care services, but also a fundamental reconsideration of how people live, support one another, and participate in society.
Continuing the Conversation
The SG Lab kickoff event provided an opportunity to bring together perspectives from care practice, research, technology, and future-oriented thinking.
For KOTOBUKI, it also reinforced an important belief: Japan's contribution to global ageing lies not in providing a single answer, but in sharing its experiences and working with international partners to develop new possibilities together.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and building connections that contribute to better ways of living and caring across the world.
Event information: SG Lab Kickoff Event on Peatix
