International Relationship

Mr. Ilija Batljan, Mayor of Nynäshamn, Sweden visited Japan
(March 5-10.2007)

Mr. Ilija Batljan aged 39, former Chief Analyst and Director of Analyses and Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden and current Mayor of the Municipality of Nynäshamn visited Japan from March 5 (Mon.) through March 10 (Sat.).

Mr. Batljan has energetically engaged in policies for low fertility and family, public health and long term care for the elderly, etc. since his years in Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

This time Mr. Batljan were invited to several projects by the Cabinet Office such as policy dialogue on low fertility and support measures for child rearing, visit to facilities, and a speech at the international symposium in the former part of his stay, March5 (Mon.) - 7 (Wed.).

Programs on March 9 (Fri.) including opinion exchanges in regard to aging issues and facility visit were coordinated on the initiative of ILC-Japan.

Mr. Batljan visited Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in the morning to pay his respects to Mr. Shuichi Nakamura, Director-General, Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau, Mr. Shinji Asonuma, Director-General、Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly and Mr. Takashi Toguchi, Director-General, Health Policy Bureau. He had enthusiastic discussion with them.
In the afternoon he made a facility tour in Social Welfare Foundation Yokufukai, including Care House *, The Third Nanyo-en (Special Nursing Home for the Elderly) and Tokyo Dementia Care Research and Training Center.

* Assisted rental housing for the elderly aged 60 or older to live independently, based on the Welfare Law for the Elderly.

After the tour an informal gathering was held by people involved in the evening.

Mr. Batljan stressed repeatedly, "The world pays particular attention to policies in Japan, so Japan should be more active in sending out information overseas." ILC-Japan strongly recognized a role we should play as well as the importance of spreading information overseas.

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