Institute for Health Economics and Policy (IHEP)

IHEP is the research wing of ASIW. Its purpose is to promote research on the social insurance system and health economics in Japan. IHEP conducts empirical research and studies medical and long-term care services and various other matters using methods from economics and other fields aimed at contributing to the advancement and improvement of healthcare policies. The institute also gathers, stores, and disseminates information related to health economics to increase public awareness. IHEP also educates researchers who wish to specialize in this field.

For more information about its activities, please visit the IHEP website.
Institute for Health Economics and Policy

Health and Welfare Support Activities

ASIW carries out programs to train and produce effective long-term-care workers, and engages in investigative research and efforts to raise public awareness aimed at addressing the vital issue of training in long-term care to ensure a sufficient number of high-quality, skilled home-care workers.

1.Caregiver Training
　Courses for obtaining qualifications
　Seminars for administrators of home-visit long-term care businesses and service providers
　Training seminars on long-term care skills (end-of-life care, physical transfer/home helper skills, etc.)
2.Awareness Raising
　Publication of the Helpa! information magazine
3. Investigative Research

Please see the long-term-care worker support site Helpa! for more information on training and seminars.
To the Helpa! support site for long-term-care and welfare workers (Japanese only)

Health Food Research and Awareness Program

As Japanese society ages rapidly, an increasing number of people will become susceptible to and contract lifestyle-related diseases, including metabolic syndrome, a topic of much debate for the anticipated pressure it will bring to bear on medical costs and the healthcare system. Amidst growing concerns about the health of the Japanese public, the role of health foods is attracting attention and the market for health foods is expected to grow, starting with those items approved as foods for specified health uses (FOSHU).

Japan's outdated regulatory system for labeling and classifying health foods, however, had become problematic, so a world-leading system for regulating foods with health claims (FHC) was established based on two classifications— foods with nutrient function claims (FNFC) and foods for specified health uses (FOSHU). However, as the population grows older, in order to promote the development of products that can promote health and longevity, it has become necessary to expand the labelling system for health foods functioning based on recent scientific knowledge.

We plan to hold forums and seminars to raise public awareness of health foods based on scientific evidence-based safety and functionality which are in harmony with international standards to obtain support from consumers.

1. Awareness Raising　Holding health food forums and providing support for health food seminars
2. Investigative Research

For more details on these activities, please visit the health food research and awareness support website, Health Food Forum (Japanese only).
Health Food Research and Awareness Support Site　Health Food Forum

Housing Loan Management for Pensioners

In April 1977, the association began providing home loan financing for recipients of the government-managed pension for corporate employees. The system was in effect for 28 years until it was abolished in 2004, during which time over 280,000 individuals received financing. Since April 2001, ASIW has been conducting the management and collection of home loans as integration proceeds with 19 other similar public-interest corporations.

For more details on this program, please visit the Home Financing for Pensioners website.
For customers repaying loans Home Financing for Pensioners