TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MetLife Insurance K.K. (Representative Statutory Executive Officer, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dirk Ostijn) representing the MetLife Foundation and The Nippon Foundation (Chairman Yosuke Sasakawa) are pleased to announce the launch of “MetLife Foundation and The Nippon Foundation: ‘Better Life Better Place’ for the Elderly and Children,” a program to develop twelve care facilities for the elderly and children across Japan by the end of 2024.
Starting this month, the program will begin developing home-like hospice for the elderly and Children’s 3rd Places (a third place, in addition to home and school, for children living under difficult circumstances). The Nippon Foundation will operate the facilities nationwide and MetLife Japan employees will have opportunities to support the facilities and their residents through volunteer programs, including much-needed support for users and care workers and educational and financial empowerment programs for children.
MetLife Foundation, the philanthropic arm of MetLife, will donate US$3.75 million (approx. ¥400 million) to the program. MetLife Foundation has a long tradition of supporting initiatives that improve the quality of lives and increase opportunities for the underserved.
“MetLife Foundation is delighted to partner with The Nippon Foundation to build a strong, multi-year program to help those in communities where we work and live,” said Ostijn. “With the grant from MetLife Foundation, The Nippon Foundation and volunteers from MetLife Japan, we will all work together to tackle the societal challenges facing the elderly and children in Japan with the aim of building a sustainable society where no one is left behind.”
“We are very grateful that MetLife Foundation recognizes our activities to date and has decided to donate more than 400 million yen to be granted over the next three years to launch this program and further advance this cause. This is a very large amount, and we look forward to working with MetLife Japan and MetLife Foundation to address issues facing older persons and children,” said Sasakawa.
Background of the Program:
- While the majority of elderly people in Japan pass away in hospitals, about 80 percent express a desire to live out their final days at home1. Amid an acceleration of Japan’s super-aging society, there is a need for environments in which people can feel at ease at the end of their lives.
- Around 1 in 7 children in Japan live in relative poverty2, and the economic and educational disparities will only worsen under the ongoing pandemic3. In such difficult conditions, the need for programs like these to support these two vulnerable groups could not be more urgent.
Outline of “Better Life Better Place for the Elderly and Children” Program:
Home-like Hospice for the Elderly
The number of older people in Japan has been increasing. This program provides a safe, home-like environment where the elderly can spend their last days supported in comfort. Local home helpers, visiting nurses, and volunteers will work together to support residents’ daily medical, nursing and preventive care needs. The program aims to have 10 facilities up and running in the Kanto, Kansai, Tohoku, and Kyushu areas by the first half of 2024.
Children’s 3rd Places
The aim of Children’s 3rd Places is to provide after-school facilities for children facing challenges including being left alone or having to eat alone due to family circumstances, or children who are experiencing learning or living difficulties due to developmental characteristics, or a loss of opportunity due to financial circumstances. Those facilities provide children with meals, help them develop good study and living habits, and provide them with opportunities for various life experiences. The facilities will also cooperate with schools and professional organizations to serve as a hub for the local community. The program aims to complete two Children’s 3rd Places, one each in the Kanto and Kansai areas, by September 2022.
* 1 Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: 2017 "Awareness Survey on Medical Care in the Final Stage of Life"
* 2 Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: "2019 National Life Basic Survey"
* 3 The Nippon Foundation, Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting K.K.: “Investigation of the impact of COVID-19 on educational disparity”
About MetLife Insurance K.K.
MetLife Japan started operations in 1973 as the first foreign life insurance company in Japan and currently operates as a Japanese corporation and an affiliate of MetLife, Inc., a leading global financial services company that aims to help people become more self-reliant and able to pursue more from life. MetLife Japan provides a broad, innovative range of products through diverse distribution channels to individual and institutional customers.
https://www.metlife.co.jp/
About MetLife Foundation
At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to expanding opportunities for low- and moderate-income people around the world. We partner with nonprofit organizations and social enterprises to create financial health solutions and build stronger communities, while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. From its founding through the end of 2020, MetLife Foundation has provided more than $900 million in grants and $87 million in program-related investments to make a positive impact in the communities where MetLife operates. Our financial health work has reached more than 17.3 million low- and moderate-income individuals in 42 countries. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit:
https://www.metlife.com/sustainability/MetLife-sustainability/MetLife-Foundation/
About The Nippon Foundation
Since its founding in 1962, The Nippon Foundation has supported public enterprises across borders and sectors as Japan’s largest private sector charitable foundation, working in areas including support for children and persons with disabilities, disaster response and recovery, ocean-related issues, and international cooperation, toward the achievement of “A society where all people support one another.”
https://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/en
