Shared Commitment and Distinct Innovations in Dementia Policy Development and Implementation in China, Japan, and South Korea

China, Japan, and South Korea are facing the challenges of accelerating population aging and a sharp rise in the number of people living with dementia. In alignment with the WHO Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia (World Health Organization 2017), each country has implemented national strategies aiming at strengthening dementia prevention, care, and support. We are writing to highlight the striking commonalities across these policies and identify distinct innovations in implementation that may offer valuable lessons for other nations across Asia Pacific. In East Asia, cultural values such as filial piety, family responsibility, and intergenerational solidarity have traditionally placed the primary responsibility for elder care on family members. However, modernization and urbanization have increased workforce mobility and reduced household sizes, weakening the support provided by extended family structures and consequently exacerbating the care burden. Despite these changes, the cultural preference for aging in place remains strong. Although China, Japan, and South Korea differ in the maturity of their care systems and the sustainability of their financing mechanisms, the national dementia policies of all three countries demonstrate a strong commitment to community-based care (Table S1) (Ministry of Health and Welfare 2020; Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare 2020; National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China et al. 2025). This reflects a pragmatic adaptation: instead of replacing family care, these policies aim to sustain it by providing accessible community services within local neighborhoods. China's latest National Dementia Action Plan emphasizes the development of a tiered, coordinated healthcare system, particularly through memory clinics in hospitals at the county level and above, while leveraging community health centers and village clinics to deliver continuous dementia care close to home via family doctor contracting service (National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China et al. 2025). Japan's Basic Plan for the Promotion of Policies on Dementia strengthens linkages among the medical, welfare, and community sectors while promoting dementia-friendly urban design and public awareness (Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare 2020). South Korea's Comprehensive Dementia Management Plan incorporates the concept of a “care pathway” into its planning framework to ensure continuous service provision (Ministry of Health and Welfare 2020). By embedding services within existing local frameworks—such as neighborhood health centers in China, community support hubs in Japan, and public dementia care centers in South Korea—these systems have the potential to improve both the accessibility and utilization of care. Furthermore, all three countries prioritize public education, early detection, and the reduction of modifiable risk factors. These efforts align with global calls to reduce disparities in diagnosis and treatment (Hampel et al. 2022; World Health Organization 2017), and resonate with the traditional East Asian cultural values that emphasize “prevention is better than cure.” By integrating policies across ministries and sectors, these national strategies reframe dementia care not merely as a medical issue but as a shared social responsibility. Despite these shared commitments, each country has introduced unique innovations in policy implementation. China has increasingly adopted social prescribing as a tool for dementia care, whereby healthcare providers are encouraged to refer patients to nonclinical community activities designed to enhance cognitive stimulation and social inclusion. Japan has pioneered an industry-inclusive partnership model, exemplified by initiatives such as the Kyoto Dementia-Friendly Cross-Industry Partnership. The Partnership Council has created a coordinated “watch-over” network that links financial institutions, utilities, transportation services, and local businesses to identify and support older adults with possible cognitive decline. It has also developed unified training guidelines for frontline staff and established pathways that connect industry partners with medical and social-care services, enabling earlier assessment and safer decision-making support. South Korea's Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance System provides a needs-based framework for dementia assessment, diagnosis, and access to benefits through a specific grading system, thereby expanding eligibility for LTC services among individuals with dementia. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of these approaches remains limited. Future evaluation of policy implementation will be essential to assess their impact and inform ongoing improvement. In conclusion, while differing in healthcare infrastructure, China, Japan, and South Korea converge in anchoring dementia care within the community. This shared commitment responds not only to demographic necessity but also consolidates core societal values. By learning from both common principles and context-specific innovations, other countries across Asia Pacific may better navigate the challenges of aging populations and attune local policy in response to dementia. The authors have nothing to report. The authors have nothing to report. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All relevant policy documents are available online. Table S1: Basic information, strategical goals, key tasks, and implementation of national dementia policies in China, Japan, and South Korea. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.