Ministry of Health, Indonesia × JICA KAIGO Seminar

The Japan International Cooperation Agency （JICA）, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Human Resources for Health of the Ministry of Health, organized a seminar as part of the "Project of Enhancement of Caregiver Competency" to deepen the understanding of elderly care （KAIGO） as a profession in Japan. Titled 'Seminar on the Project for Enhancing the Competence of KAIGO Workers 2025', it was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the Jakarta Health Training Center (BBPK). This hybrid seminar was attended by 500 participants from the National Development Planning Agency, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection (KP2MI), provincial health offices throughout Indonesia, the Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, RS PON, universities with nursing programs, as well as professional associations in the field of health and welfare.

In Japan, which has entered a super-aged society, KAIGO has changed from a family responsibility to a system that supports by society as a whole, and a nationally qualified professional has been established. Using Japanese and Indonesian languages, the seminar invited experts from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, who explained in detail about "KAIGO workers" in Japan, the elements required to become an expert in this field, and the education needed for human resource development in the world's most advanced elderly care system. The seminar also shared the current situation of Indonesian KAIGO workers active in Japan and explored potential cooperation in the KAIGO field between the two countries.

The Director General of Health Workforce, dr. Yuli Farianti, M.Epid, opened the seminar by stating that Japan's efforts in adapting to demographic changes and transforming caregiving into a professional service supported by systems and the broader community is an important lesson that Indonesia can adopt.

The main presentation by Ms. Machiko Suzuki emphasized that KAIGO in Japan is a profession that has developed with clear foundations, objectives, and methods. Focusing on dignity, independence, and individual support, this profession helps individuals with diseases or disabilities to live according to their wishes.

This seminar represents another step forward in the cooperation between Indonesia and Japan to ensure a promising future for KAIGO workers and the elderly communities in both countries.