Despite Technology, Japan Faces Challenges with its Dementia and Disappearance Problem

By Barrier Free Japan

June 9 2025

JAPAN – In Japan, the rising number of dementia patients going missing—and sometimes being found too late—is a sobering reminder of the challenges facing an aging society. According to data released by the National Police Agency (NPA), 491 people with dementia were found dead in 2024 after going missing. Of those, a striking 77.8 percent were discovered within five kilometers of where they had disappeared, and nearly half were found within just one kilometer. These heartbreaking statistics highlight how vulnerable people with dementia are, even when they remain relatively close to home.

Fortunately, some missing persons were found safely, thanks in part to GPS devices. The NPA is urging families and caregivers to take advantage of GPS technology, some of which is available free of charge through municipal programs. “A swift response leads to safe rescues,” an agency official noted, underlining the life-saving potential of early intervention and tracking tools.

In an effort to increase public awareness and help prevent such tragedies, communities across Japan are introducing visual tools for identifying people with dementia. One recent initiative came from Obu in Aichi Prefecture, which has introduced an orange-colored “dementia help mark.” Inspired by the more widely known red help mark created by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this new symbol is intended to alert others that the person wearing it may need support or special consideration—even if their symptoms are not immediately visible.

The initiative was spearheaded by 74-year-old Ryuichi Takai, who lost his father in a train accident caused by dementia-related wandering. “I hope the help mark will become available nationwide to reduce as much as possible the number of people who have to feel the same kind of grief I did,” Takai said during the unveiling of the mark on World Alzheimer’s Day in 2024. The timing was significant, coming after the enactment of Japan’s Basic Law on Dementia, which promotes a more inclusive society.

While community action and technology offer hope, individual stories serve as powerful reminders of the emotional toll that dementia-related disappearances can take. One such case is that of Yasuko Arakawa, a woman diagnosed with early-onset semantic dementia, who went missing from her home in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, on August 8, 2023. More than a year later, her husband, Tsutomu Arakawa, continues the search, haunted by what-ifs and missed opportunities.

Yasuko’s disappearance was sudden. Her husband awoke to find her gone, along with her shoulder bag and shoes. They had planned to go shopping that morning—a routine she had followed even after her diagnosis in 2021. Although she had wandered before, she was always found nearby, typically at their local supermarket. This time, however, she vanished without a trace. Surveillance footage later showed a woman resembling her walking toward Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, where her parents had once lived. But the trail ended there.

Yasuko’s condition—semantic dementia—is rare and affects only about one percent of dementia patients. Unlike Alzheimer’s, it leads to the loss of language and meaning, even while some routines and independence remain intact. Yasuko had still been taking regular walks and preparing breakfast. Her husband had even discussed installing a GPS device in her shoe the day before she went missing, but it was never implemented in time.

Since her disappearance, Tsutomu has quit his job, distributed posters, used social media, and mobilized local networks in hopes of finding her. Despite all efforts, no new leads have emerged. “I just want her to come back to me unharmed,” he said. “I am still full of regrets.”

The broader trend is equally troubling. In 2023 alone, a record 19,039 people with dementia or suspected dementia were reported missing in Japan—an 11th consecutive year of increase. As the nation continues to age rapidly, the number of such cases has doubled over the past decade.