MANAGEMENT TEAM

YUMA Kazuko

Chief Fellow, Research Division, Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies

Rapid changes in the population structure have transformed social dynamics and family relationships. With increasing numbers of elderly people living alone, elderly-only households, single-parent households, and foreign resident households, there is a growing segment of the population that is disconnected from society, resulting in feelings of loneliness and isolation for some. The spread of COVID-19 has accelerated the use of remote working and telemedicine, promoting the digitization of society and encouraging impersonal, non-contact interactions. Digital technology also has the potential to reduce or eliminate loneliness and isolation by enabling online visits to grandparents in nursing homes and facilitating the formation of minority communities. I believe that advances in AI and related data analytics technologies will help us understand the mechanisms behind loneliness and isolation, and ultimately address the challenge of building social relational capital. I hope the research and development in this program will facilitate the establishment of diverse social networks and promote the prevention of social isolation and loneliness.