Why Did ASEAN Seek Answers from a Small Island in the Seto Inland Sea? The Day Remote Island Fieldwork Became a Common Language for Asia

Nurse and Craft, based on Osakishimojima Island in Kure, Hiroshima, recently participated in the 'ASEAN High-Level Meeting on Unlocking the Silver Economy' held in the Philippines from June 3 to 4, 2026. CEO Hiroyuki Fukasawa presented the company's elderly care practices on Osakishimojima as a case study, garnering significant interest from attendees.

On June 4, 2026, CEO Fukasawa took the stage for 'Case Study 7: Promoting active ageing in Japan through technology, social participation, and economic engagement.' Before a gathering of ASEAN government officials, UN agencies (UNFPA, ESCAP), the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and private sector representatives, he presented an implementation model combining home nursing, preventative medicine, and community activities in Osakishimojima, a region facing depopulation and aging.

CEO Fukasawa noted that ASEAN nations share a common goal of 'Aging in Place,' making his company’s island-based model highly relatable to the many island regions within ASEAN. He emphasized that the challenges of managing declining populations and limited resources are being met with solutions that the world is seeking, highlighting the immense value of Japan’s ground-level practices.

Nurse and Craft operates home nursing, STARTWELL, and health tourism services. STARTWELL, in particular, is a preventative healthcare and monitoring service using wearable devices to bridge service gaps by identifying health changes early.