On Friday, February 21, 2025,Support for sustainable decision-making and arrangements that preserve dignity for everyone during and after life" project. The event was aimed at discussing the issue together with people from companies and related organizations that support decision-making among the elderly.
The speakers at this event were project representative Satoshi Kodama (Professor, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University) and researcher Kanae Sawamura (Senior Specialist, Center for Emergence Strategy, Japan Research Institute, Ltd.). In the talk session following the presentations by the two speakers in the first half of the program, real-time opinions were collected from participants using an online survey tool.
In this article, we will tell you about the event and what it was like.
Lecture: Decision-making for surviving and supporting the elderly in the era of individuality and solitude / Kanae Sawamura, Researcher (Senior Specialist, Center for Emergent Strategy, Japan Research Institute, Ltd.)
We make decisions in every aspect of our lives and take action to carry out those decisions. As we get older, it becomes more difficult to make decisions and take action, and we become more dependent on support from those around us. Supporters choose answers on behalf of the person while guessing their will and values, but since the decision is made by a proxy and not the person themselves, it is difficult to know whether the decision is correct or not. Researcher Sawamura raised the keyword "consistency" as an important point to consider when making decisions. He presented the idea that it may be permissible to guess someone's will by referring to their life up to now, as long as it maintains consistency.
Lecture: Decision-making support for self-destruction and its challenges / Professor Satoshi Kodama (Kyoto University Graduate School of Letters)
児玉先生からは、そもそも意思決定とは何か、どう行うのが望ましいのか、支援にあたってどのような課題があるのかをお話いただきました。自身に関する意思決定は、誰しもが自分で行うことが原則です。しかしその半面、本人の判断能力や生活環境など、意思決定支援には課題が伴います。決めるべきことが多かったり、本人の判断能力が疑わしかったり、「おひとりさま」であったり…。身じまいのための意思決定について、児玉先生は「ノトナレ派（＝「後は野となれ山となれ」と思う人）」と「タツトリ派（＝「立つ鳥跡を濁さず」にしようとする人）」という対立する２つの価値観を提示されました。後回しになりがちな身じまいの準備を、タツトリ派のスタンスで取り組む重要性をお話くださいました。
Panel discussion
The panel discussion portion was moderated by Taihei Sonoko, researcher and incubation producer at the Emergence Strategy Center of the Japan Research Institute, Ltd. The discussion topic was the concerns participants had when they applied. Participants exchanged opinions using an online survey tool, and the two speakers also shared practical advice and introduced previous examples. It was an opportunity for participants to come into contact with people they don't normally have contact with, and was well received by everyone.
At this event, we received a lot of real feedback from people who attended both in person and online. SMBC Kyoto University Studio will continue to set up regular opportunities to promote dialogue with you all. If you are interested, please check the event information.
