4 Follow Us on Social Media Contact Us (852) 3469 2721 ppolpr@ust.hk The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology c/o Division of Public Policy (PPOL) Room 4611, Academic Building, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Masaru YARIME is an Associate Professor at the Division of Public Policy and the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST. He also has appointments as an Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy at University College London and a Visiting Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo. He is interested in exploring data-driven innovation to address sustainability challenges and implications for public policy and governance. He serves on the editorial board of Sustainability Science, Environmental Science and Policy, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, Frontiers in Sustainable Cities - Innovation and Governance, and Data & Policy. Gregory TRENCHER is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies at Kyoto University in Japan. His research focuses on decarbonisation and energy policy and the governance of energy and sustainability transitions. Current projects are investigating topics such as fossil-fuel phase-outs, company decarbonisation behaviour, next-generation mobility and smart cities. He serves on the editorial board for Energy Research & Social Science and as an editor for Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. His research has been published in Nature Communications, One Earth, Environmental Research Letters, PLOS One, Climatic Change and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Main Reference Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, and Jeongsoo Yu. "Using emerging technologies to tackle mobility challenges caused by population ageing: Experiences from Japan." Technological Forecasting and Social Change 208 (2024): 123729. Consider Low-cost, Low-risk and Easy-to-implement Solutions From Japan’s experiences, the study identifies obstacles in applying emerging technologies to address problems caused by population ageing. Governments and transport planners should consider low-cost, low-risk and easy-toimplement solutions with lower reliance on expensive or unproven technologies. For example, instead of solely promoting costly new technologies such as autonomous vehicles, AI-based ridesharing or on-demand mobility, a low-risk and practical approach would be to adjust laws and regulations to encourage business model innovations using existing resources. These include private vehicles and taxis as well as existing vehicle-fleets and personnel used to shuttle the elderly to local facilities. Policy Implication to China China can learn valuable lessons from the findings of the study due to its similar ageing experience. First, China should assess its unique regional mobility issues, focusing on both urban and rural needs. Adopting lowcost, easy-to-implement solutions, as seen in Japan, can provide immediate relief without heavy financial burdens. Leveraging existing resources and fostering partnerships among government, private sectors, and communities is crucial for effective implementation, particularly for increasing the effectiveness of emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles as a means of coping with the consequences of population ageing. Additionally, addressing barriers like low IT literacy among the elderly will enhance technology adoption. By integrating these insights, China can create tailored mobility solutions that genuinely support its ageing population and promote social and economic vitality. Jeongsoo YU is a professor at the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies and the Green Goals Initiative at Tohoku University in Japan. He is interested in cross-sectoral research fields, which include carbon zero and circular economy policies, Life-Cycle-Assessment, developing a plastic sorter, and SDGs education, focusing especially on integrated waste management and sustainable recycling, such as End-of-Life Vehicles, E-waste, and plastic waste, among others. His research has been published in Waste Management, Waste Management & Research, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Journal of Urban Management, Recycling, Sustainability, Societies, Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Public Policy BULLETIN Leveraging Emerging Technologies to Overcome Mobility Challenges Caused by Population Ageing: A Case Study of Japan
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