Japanese Healthcare _ Nursing-Care Equipment to Thailand

Welcome to another episode on what's happening in/on/to Japan. I'm your navigator, Nathan Shiga.

I had never thought of Thailand as the fastest aging country in Asia until a piece of report reminded me that it is. An exhibition is ongoing in Bangkok showing a whole package of Japan-produced health care goods and nursing-care equipment on the assumption that Thai society will in no time start feeling the burdens of declining birth rate and aging population.

In fact, Thailand already beats Japan in natality with 1.4 and ranks rather high in mean life time at 75. In other words an age of aging is afoot in Thailand as well.

Now, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) was quick to feel the winds and opened an exhibition of this kind for the first time in hopes of exporting healthcare-related goods and nursing care equipment and all fringe services, starting on March 5 in Bangkok. About 50 Japanese companies are participating in the show, exhibiting nursing beds, wheelchairs and other nursing-related gears. A woman tried a wheelchair and said it was easy to carry and convenient to load on the car.

JETRO believes anime and manga are not the only commodities for the Asian market and now plans to promote health goods and nursing-care equipment and services, encouraging more corporations to advance in this region.

JETRO's Hironobu Kitagawa, director of Dept. of Service Industry, comments:

"You might have an image of Asia full of young people but actually some Asian countries are aging rather fast. Thailand in particular tops them all. We expect plenty of business for Japan to explore in Asia in the area of healthcare and nursing."

Aging is certainly getting to be a global societal problem. But then, is longevity a virtue?