GRIPS and Local Autonomy College conducted a one-month training program in health care policy from July 10 to August 9. The 24 trainees consisted of 17 officers from local governments (12 from prefectures and 5 from municipalities) and 7 from think-tanks and other organizations. The lectures were not only about narrowly defined health care policy, but also associated areas, such as health, nursing care, public welfare, housing, working, town-planning, etc. Lecturers were GRIPS faculty, professors from medical universities, leading officials from the ministries, and front-line persons who are working in the field of health care. Trainees also had group discussions and examined case studies, and they visited three local governments (Kashiwa City, Wako City, and Inagi City), hospitals, nursing homes, and other related institutions. They finished the training program by making presentations about what policy development they would implement utilizing what they learned in this training program.