How rural communities in Japan and India are rethinking care, labor, and local economies in the face of demographic change
As part of the Japan–India Transformative Technology Network, which took place from April 27 to May 2, 2025, Fellows from Japan and India convened in Salzburg to engage in conversations on how technology can address pressing social issues. One such conversation on social care and community challenges explored the demographic and structural shifts placing pressure on health and social care systems, especially in rural communities across Japan and India.
Led by Takeshi Hidaka, a social entrepreneur based in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, the discussion examined how communities are navigating the effects of aging populations, shrinking workforces, and urban migration. Fellows analyzed how both countries are witnessing a transformation in community needs, and how local actors are responding with ingenuity, resilience, and a spirit of collaboration.
The group discussed how aging populations are stretching care systems thin, leaving rural communities particularly vulnerable. In Japan, where the elderly population is rapidly expanding, professionals are in short supply, and institutional models are increasingly unsustainable. Similarly, in India, internal migration toward urban centers is hollowing out rural support networks, with parallel impacts on access to care and community cohesion.
In addition to the strain on public care infrastructure, rural businesses are also struggling to stay afloat. As Takeshi noted, “Local small- to medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) have more challenges because they don’t have the financial and human resources to come up with strategies to attract or train people, to be successful contributors to their businesses.”
These shared concerns underscored a sense of urgency and a shared opportunity. Fellows emphasized the need for adaptable, people-centered solutions rooted in local realities. Examples included multi-generational community centers, mobile health services, and the integration of traditional care practices with digital tools. The conversation highlighted how community-driven responses, when supported by cross-sector partnerships and policy alignment, can produce scalable, sustainable care ecosystems.
Takeshi Hidaka’s experience provided a grounding case study. His work focuses on fostering environments where people working in local SMEs are not passive recipients of employment but active members of their communities. By addressing workforce shortages through local recruitment and talent development through cross-company peer mentorship, his approach reflects a broader shift from transactional models to relational, community-rooted systems.
Takeshi also encouraged that many rural businesses should operate under a different philosophy compared to large urban corporations. Rather than focusing on rapid expansion, these enterprises can prioritize longevity and local cultural preservation. He explained, “We can make businesses sustainable, not necessarily in a way that pursues rapid growth, but enough growth. Businesses are intended not necessarily to grow, but to sustain cultural history that’s been maintained in the area.”
This approach, rooted in place-based values, reflects a model of economic sustainability that aligns with the lived realities and aspirations of rural communities. In his own work, he has helped develop a collaborative platform that brings together local businesses and stakeholders to train and retain talent, an effort aimed at sustaining rural economies from the ground up.
The session also tackled systemic challenges, including how to attract and retain young professionals in rural areas, how to balance economic and emotional labor in care work, and how to shift societal mindsets about aging and interdependence. There was strong consensus that innovation must be contextual - not just about technology, but about reimagining how care and labor is organized, valued, and supported.
The conversation served as both a diagnosis and a call to action. The themes that surfaced such as aging, migration, and workforce strain are global in nature, but their impacts are most acute in the smallest communities. What Fellows revealed through dialogue was that the path forward requires collective imagination: pairing grassroots knowledge with systemic thinking and embracing care not only as a service but as a shared social fabric.
As Salzburg Global Fellows continue to build a cross-border network, the insights from this discussion will serve as vital blueprints for building more inclusive, adaptive, and human-centered systems.
Learn more about the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network.
