Publication of 'A Way of Life Facing Aging'! — Featuring Interviews with 12 People from 'Tobe! Hot Age'
We have compiled interviews with 12 people who addressed the issue of the elderly in 'Tobe! Hot Age' into a book. Titled 'A Way of Life Facing Aging: Heard from 12 Experts in a Super-Aging Society.' It is a co-authored work by Asei Machi and myself, Hiroyuki Aikawa. Published on January 15, 2026. It is scheduled to be available on Amazon and major domestic bookstores. 272 pages. A5 size, horizontal writing. The price is 1,500 yen plus tax.
Facing aging head-on is quite difficult, and while we tend to wish for 'staying active for life' or a 'sudden, painless death,' if someone actually has a sudden, painless death, it is often close to an accident like drowning in a bathtub, and considering the feelings of the family, it is hard to say lightly that 'a sudden, painless death is good.'
In this book, Chapter 1 discusses children learning about aging and death through tools like 414 cards and 'After I Die' cards. Until now, many elderly people have avoided talking about life after aging, saying it is 'bad luck,' but from now on, we have summarized how to face 'aging' with the stance that those who have reached old age should take the initiative to talk about what they want to do and how they want things handled, considering the burden (financial, physical, and emotional) on their children. The environment surrounding the elderly is harsh, with conflicts with the younger generation, the likely deterioration of long-term care insurance, and concerns about living alone in old age, so you cannot see the future without studying properly. We have listened carefully to 12 experts, so please read it with your family.
The table of contents is as follows.
Preface (Hiroyuki Aikawa) ... 2
Chapter 1: Let's Create a Life Plan for Your Later Years ... 7
Children also think about aging and death ... 8
Talking about death and views on life and death at death cafes and through dialogue tools ... 10
Ages 65-74: ACP Phase 1, finding a doctor you can trust ... 12
Ages 75-84: ACP Phase 2, talking with family ... 14
From age 85: ACP Final Phase, re-confirming intentions with family and doctors ... 16
Recommended movies, dramas, and anime themed around death and the afterlife ... 17
Chapter 2: Facing Aging Head-On ... 21
Critic Keiko Higuchi (Part 1)
Talking about her own 'Yota-Hero' (stumbling and frail) period — 'A life of struggle is also interesting' ... 22
Critic Keiko Higuchi (Part 2)
Dealing with the 'Great Long-Term Care Era' being questioned again ... 32
Sociologist Chizuko Ueno (Part 1)
Overcoming the crisis of the long-term care insurance system to create a 'care society' ... 44
Sociologist Chizuko Ueno (Part 2)
The courage to accept aging — Reading Beauvoir's 'Old Age' ... 54
Chapter 3: The New Elderly ... 67
Psychiatrist Hideki Wada (Part 1)
Companies and media trapped in conventional images of the elderly ... 68
Psychiatrist Hideki Wada (Part 2)
The 'Shin-Rojin' (New Elderly) will bring vitality back to Japan ... 76
IT Evangelist Masako Wakamiya (Part 1)
What is IT that makes the country, society, and personal life fun? ... 86
IT Evangelist Masako Wakamiya (Part 2)
The secret to expanding your social circle even in old age ... 96
Chapter 4: How to Face Frailty and Death ... 107
Director of the Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo, Katsuya Iijima (Part 1) Having a purpose in life and maintaining sociality leads to frailty prevention ... 108
Director of the Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo, Katsuya Iijima (Part 2)
Can the elderly have a happy end of life with community-based integrated care? ... 118
Palliative Care Physician Akio Yamazaki (Part 1)
'Cancer Coexistence Therapy' is a new option for palliative care ... 128
Palliative Care Physician Akio Yamazaki (Part 2)
Cancer Coexistence Therapy as a supplement to standard treatment ... 138
Palliative Care Physician Akio Yamazaki (Part 3)
How to communicate with patients with terminal cancer, etc. ... 142
Chapter 5: Risks to Avoid in Old Age ... 155
Social Worker Takafumi Fujita (Part 1)
Weaknesses in social security revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic ... 156
Social Worker Takafumi Fujita (Part 2)
Distortions in the social system create 'lower-class elderly' ... 166
Management Consultant Koichi Hamada (Part 1)
Lack of housing for the elderly where they can live even if they require long-term care ... 176
Management Consultant Koichi Hamada (Part 2)
The growing role of municipalities in securing a final residence ... 186
Chapter 6: Laws for the Elderly ... 197
Judicial Scrivener Yuichi Fukumura (Part 1)
Cooperating with medical and nursing care professionals, aiming for the integration of ACP and ALP ... 198
Judicial Scrivener Yuichi Fukumura (Part 2)
Peace of mind even for those living alone: Post-mortem administrative delegation contracts ... 208
Legal Scholar Norio Higuchi (Part 1)
The adult guardianship system is regressive; other support measures are desirable ... 218
Legal Scholar Norio Higuchi (Part 2)
What are the 'preparations' necessary to reach the end of life with peace of mind? ... 228
Chapter 7: 'Home Care' and 'Investment' You Should Know ... 239
Chairman of Medical Corporation Yushokai, Jun Sasaki
Home medical care is not a burden if there is a doctor with heart ... 240
Management Consultant/Investor Hidetoshi Iwasaki (Part 1)
If you believe in the world 10 or 20 years from now, invest in stocks ... 250
Management Consultant/Investor Hidetoshi Iwasaki (Part 2)
There are investment opportunities in daily life ... 260
Afterword (Asei Machi) ... 271
This is a promotional video.