Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and wandered off in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead.
Police say such cases have doubled since 2012, underscoring a growing strain on the world's oldest society.
The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.
Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.
In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.
Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to keep track of those who wander.
Some regions offer wearable GPS tags that can alert authorities the moment a person leaves a designated area. In some towns, convenience-store workers receive real-time notifications – creating a safety net that can locate a missing person within hours.
Robot caregivers and AI
Other technologies aim to detect dementia earlier.
Fujitsu's aiGait uses AI to analyse posture and walking patterns, picking up early signs of dementia – shuffling while walking, slower turns or difficulty standing – generating skeletal outlines clinicians can review during routine check-ups.
Early detection of age-related diseases is key, says Hidenori Fujiwara, a Fujitsu spokesperson. If doctors can use motion-capture data, they can intervene earlier and help people remain active for longer.
Meanwhile, researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a 150kg humanoid robot designed to be a future caregiver.
It can assist with tasks such as putting on socks, scrambling eggs, and folding laundry. The scientists at Waseda University hope that AIREC will eventually be able to change diapers and prevent bedsores in patients.
Similar robots are already used in care homes to play music to residents or guide them in simple stretching exercises. They are also monitoring patients at night while cutting back on the need for humans doing the rounds.
While humanoid robots are in development, Assistant Professor Tamon Miyake notes that achieving the level of precision and intelligence required will take at least five years before they can safely interact with humans.
It requires full-body sensing and adaptive understanding - how to adjust for each person and situation, he explains.
Emotional support is also part of the innovation drive.
Poketomo, a 12cm tall robot able to fit in a pocket, reminds users to take medication, instructs on weather preparation, and provides companionship, relieving social isolation.
We’re focusing on social issues... and to use new technology to help solve those problems, asserts Miho Kagei, development manager from Sharp.
Although technology offers new solutions, human connection remains irreplaceable.
Robots should supplement, not substitute, human caregivers, Mr. Miyake emphasized. While they may take over some tasks, their main role is to assist both caregivers and patients.
At the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Sengawa, Tokyo, founded by Akiko Kanna, customers are served by individuals with dementia, creating a platform for meaningful engagement and purposeful involvement.
Toshio Morita, a café server, uses flowers to remember orders, expressing joy in the interaction despite cognitive challenges. His participation illustrates the critical role of social interventions in dementia care.
Honestly? I wanted a little pocket money. I like meeting all sorts of people, shares Mr. Morita. Everyone's different - that's what makes it fun.
