Japan is facing a dementia crisis – can technology help?

Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and wandered off in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead. Police say such cases have doubled since 2012, underscoring a growing strain on the world's oldest society. The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.

Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.

In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.

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