The enduring hope in a warm orange glow
September 21 marks World Alzheimer’s Day. Each year on this date, our head office building in Shinjuku, Tokyo, lights up in vibrant orange. Japan uses the symbolic orange color to advocate for dementia awareness and empathy. While 2026 was meant to mark our milestone 10th anniversary of joining this campaign, a typhoon unfortunately foiled those plans for many in the same area.
Yet, even when physical lights cannot be lit, the inner flame of our mission remains undimmed. Sompo Group continues work to eliminate misconceptions and stigma, and to create an inclusive society where everyone living with dementia can thrive as themselves. Recent years have seen societal awareness steadily shift, from viewing dementia as something to fear and conceal into something we live with collaboratively and discuss openly. We remain steadfast in carrying this message forward.
A society of dignity, confidence, and inclusion
For years, Sompo Group has advanced dual priorities: fostering “dementia-inclusive coexistence” so people can live with peace of mind in familiar neighborhoods, and managing various initiatives that support proactive lifestyle habits to prepare for cognitive changes.
While much of Sompo Group’s long history has been in the business of non-life insurance, we have since expanded into life insurance and caregiving, and embraced dementia care. Japan is in an era where living to a hundred is becoming a reality for many, and this comes with many anxieties that require a holistic approach. In this rapidly aging society, people face the “three concerns” of health, caregiving, and post-retirement finances. Sompo Group’s answer to the need for that holistic approach is the launch of the SOMPO Wellbeing business segment in 2025, which was later followed by the establishment of a dedicated operating company to integrate data, life insurance capabilities, and extensive eldercare expertise into a core growth engine for our future.
Proactive preparation and scientific evidence
Dementia is evolving from an intimidating diagnosis into a condition we can proactively prepare for through daily lifestyle habits.
In July 2026, at the WW-FINGERS Network Meeting held alongside the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in London, Kobe University and Sompo Group presented landmark longitudinal findings from the “J-MINT PRIME Tamba Study.” At the conference, Sompo Wellbeing also announced nationwide rollout plans for “Co-good!,” an evidence-based social implementation model designed to help prevent cognitive decline.
Benefits of maintaining and improving cognitive function and implications for reducing medical expenses
Kobe University, in partnership with Sompo Holdings, announced the long-term follow-up findings of the “J-MINT PRIME Tamba Study” and its promising potential for medical cost reduction.
- The multidomain intervention group achieved 41% improvement in cognitive scores compared to the control group after 18 months.
- Participants who voluntarily continued exercising even after the 18-month study ended maintained higher cognitive scores after five years compared to when they started in intervention.
- Sustained exercise habits, particularly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that raises heart rates, proved critical for cognitive vitality.
- Actual annual healthcare expenditures among program participants were 47% lower than baseline actuarial estimates based on long-term care risks.
Other details are available in the official press release.
The multi-domain intervention program in Tamba City, Hyogo Prefecture was conducted with elderly participants over an 18-month period. The combination of exercise, cognitive training, nutritional guidance, and lifestyle disease prevention proved to be efficient in maintaining and improving cognitive function.
I’m proud to share how Sompo Group partners with local governments, academia, and other stakeholders to translate rigorous research into programs that ensure everyone can age gracefully with vitality and purpose.
