Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development (2011)

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Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12977.html PreParing for the Challenges of PoPulation aging in asia strengthening the scientific Basis of Policy Development Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Indian National Science Academy Indonesian Academy of Sciences National Research Council of the U.S. National Academies Science Council of Japan Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 

Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12977.html Contents i—Key Messages 5 ii—a Window of opportunity 7 iii—the Changing Demography of asia 10 iV—What is important to Know 14 V—strengthening science to inform Policy 23 Vi—looking to the future 26 notes 27  PreParing for the Challenges of PoPulation aging in asia Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 

Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12977.html foreWorD a lmost every country in the world is facing an aging population, a demographic transi- tion that raises major issues for government policies in almost all areas, most especially in health, pensions, and employment. this population aging reflects both significant increases in longevity and significant decreases in fertility. Perhaps nowhere in the world is this demographic transition as stark as in parts of asia, where rapid population aging is occurring at the same time as a dramatic economic transformation. With such rapid social, economic, and demographic changes under way, there is a clear need to enhance our understanding of how these transformations will affect the well-being of older people. it is particularly important to know how the changes will influence long-standing societal and familial arrangements that have traditionally been a vital part of the economic support of older people in the region. to contribute to that understanding, the national science academies of China, india, indonesia, Japan, and the united states are sponsoring two conferences on policy research and data needs to meet the challenges of population aging in asia. the first, to be hosted by the Chinese academy of social sciences, will be held in Beijing on December 9-10, 2010; the second, to be hosted by the indian national science academy, will be held in new Delhi on March 14-15, 2011. to help prepare for those conferences, the five academies have prepared this report, Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development. We believe it lays the foundation for the conferences by delineating the challenges of popula- tion aging in asia and the role data collection and scientific research can play in informing policy development. our academies each appointed one or more experts to develop and write the report, with staff support from the national research Council of the u.s. national academies, and the report has satisfied the internal review requirements of the five academies. science academies are in a unique position to draw on the expertise of scholars from a variety of disciplines and to help lay a solid evidentiary foundation for policy making. there is much that countries can learn from each other’s experiences, and we are pleased to have undertaken this collaborative effort on a major issue of the 21st century. in that spirit of coordination and col- laboration, we offer this report to the conference participants, interested researchers, and policy makers throughout the world. Chen Jiagui, Chair of the Presidium of Academic Divisions, Chinese academy of social sciences M. Vijayan, President, indian national science academy Sangkot Marzuki, President, indonesian academy of sciences Ralph J. Cicerone, President, u.s. national academy of sciences Ichiro Kanazawa, President, science Council of Japan  PreParing for the Challenges of PoPulation aging in asia Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 

Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12977.html Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.