R&D PROJECTS

Project Overview

The system for integrating academic knowledge and linking it to Practical Knowledge is inadequate, and long-term research into loneliness prevention factors has not been conducted.

Local governments and NPOs that tackle the problem of isolation and loneliness operate based on so-called experience and tacit knowledge, and it is not easy to maintain continuity. There is always a high demand for academic and specialized knowledge in local governments and NPOs, but there is no mechanism for collaboration. In terms of grasping the actual situation of isolation, there has been little progress in clarifying its distribution, regional disparities, and its causes. The accuracy of extracting “isolation” is not sufficient, furthermore it is even more difficult to make “loneliness” apparent. Unless we focus on research based on a long-term perspective to prevent problems, rather than just dealing with the current situation, the content of countermeasures may end up being merely symptomatic treatment.

Aiming to realize a society where diverse fields beyond boundaries come together in response to each other and continuously and scientifically improve the process of preventing isolation and loneliness

In this project, we will build a “Transdisciplinary Support Network for Measures to Address Isolation and Loneliness” in society, a mechanism for continuously improving countermeasures by connecting academic knowledge with knowledge in the field, aiming to propose and implement systems and policies.
We will collect needs from the field, integrate knowledge from various academic fields, and work with experts and practitioners to develop policies. Specifically, administrative science experts will evaluate the feasibility of implementation, bridging the individuality of the field with the generality of systems and policies. In addition, collaborating local governments and NPOs will cooperate as a place to implement PoC for policy proposals, and will turn the PDCA cycle for improvement. Based on such qualitative surveys in the field, we will develop indicators and identify factors by analyzing large-scale individual data held by the government, and make improvements through PoC implementation.
In parallel with the above, we will conduct research on loneliness prevention factors from a long-term perspective. We will explore thinking and behavioral patterns that are less likely to be inclined toward loneliness through a child cohort study, and will also consider the process by which norms related to social inclusiveness, such as prejudices and value judgments of those around us, are formed. Additionally, we will also examine hard aspects such as the spatial and structural characteristics of the town, with the aim of creating a living environment that is less prone to isolation and loneliness.

Q&A

Please tell us more about the social vision this project aims to achieve for the primary prevention of social isolation and loneliness.

This project starts from the redefinition of isolation and loneliness, and believes that we should be careful about treating isolation and loneliness in a binary opposition between good and evil. Isolation and loneliness are multifaceted, including cases where people are not lonely even though they are isolated, cases where people choose to be alone rather than in groups, cases where people prefer solitude, and conversely, cases where people feel strong loneliness even when they are not isolated, and these conditions change depending on peacetime, emergency situations, life events, etc. In addition to dealing with people who suffer from isolation and loneliness, we will explore the ideal form of a society in which all people, even those who have chosen and preferred isolation and loneliness, can feel a loose connection with others and the local community.

What are the biggest challenges (bottlenecks) in achieving the social vision above?

Although a great deal of academic research has been conducted on this issue, it has not been integrated, and no mechanism has been established for linking it with Practical Knowledge. Despite the demand for activities rooted in the local community, the NPOs that undertake these activities are constantly plagued by a lack of funds and manpower, and there is also the barrier of the transfer of local government personnel, which disrupts the continuity of activities.

Participating/Cooperating Institutions

• The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tama University, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan Suicide Countermeasures Promotion Center, Keio University, Hokkaido University, Nihon Fukushi University, Tokai University, Rissho University, Japanese Society of Comprehensive Suicide Countermeasures, Nagano Victim Support Center, Kochi Prefectural Suicide Prevention Promotion Center, Zama City Welfare Department, Community Welfare Division, Kusanone Mutual Support Project, NPO OVA, Kokoro Inochi Net, Saa・Ya, NPO Suicide Survivors Support Network Re