In many Asian nations, the percentage of the population 65 and older is growing rapidly -- a demographic shift that will pose new social and economic challenges to governments in the region. Preparing for the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia: Strengthening the Scientific Basis of Policy Development, a new report from five national science academies in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the U.S., explores the critical issues that rapidly aging populations will raise and identifies research that could help policymakers respond.
The report will be released at 6 p.m. China Standard Time on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the opening of an international conference being held in Beijing on aging in Asia. The Dec. 8-10 conference -- also a collaborative effort of the five academies, and hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences -- will bring together researchers from around the world to present new findings on Asia's aging trend and engage policymakers in a dialogue about the challenges ahead and research that could inform policy. More information and an agenda can be found at http://national-academies.org/AgingInAsia.html.
Reporters can obtain copies of the report by contacting the U.S. National Academy of Sciences' Office of News and Public Information at tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu. Reporters who wish to attend the report release or conference in Beijing should contact media officer Sara Frueh directly at e-mail/blackberry sfrueh@nas.edu or +01 202 870 1650.