JMT Director Delivered Remarks on the Regional Action Plan Drafting Workshop on Active Ageing

RAYONG, 9 September 2025 – The ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI), with the support of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), organised the Regional Action Plan Drafting Workshop on Active Ageing. Held on 8–11 September 2025, the four-day programme featured a two-day drafting workshop in Bangkok, followed by a two-day field visit to Map Ta Phut and Kled Kaew districts in Rayong Province, Thailand, providing participants with a first-hand look at policy in action.

The workshop gathered ASEAN Member State Country Coordinators, ACAI-affiliated experts, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), and representatives from key partners and stakeholders. Participants collaborated on thematic areas including health, financial security, social participation, and the environment, guided by the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. The field visit offered practical insights into Thailand’s community-based long-term care model, highlighting innovative approaches that integrate health services, social participation, and digital tools to foster age-friendly communities.

Director of JMT, Naoki Minamiguchi delivered opening remarks and underscored the importance of ACAI’s initiative. He noted that the workshop not only produced the preliminary draft of the Regional Action Plan, but also strengthened networks among ASEAN stakeholders and enhanced capacity for future cooperation. The outcomes will inform the next step—the Country Coordinators Training Workshop in Japan in October 2025—furthering ASEAN’s collective efforts to ensure that older persons across the region can live with dignity, security, and active participation.