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July 12, 2026
 

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NATIONAL HEALTH CARE

A bloodstained helmet worn by an ambulance crew member who became involved in a case of violent abuse against the crew
JAPAN
Jul 7, 2026
Violence toward ambulance crews in Tokyo higher in 2025 and rising this year
Incidents not only impact the well-being of emergency personnel but also reduce the availability of emergency services for others.
Takashi Yonekawa, deputy head of the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies, speaks during an interview in Tokyo on June 24.
JAPAN
Jul 6, 2026
Kenporen seeks medical insurance reform talks
Japan should engage in discussions involving all stakeholders on whether and how to revise its public medical insurance system, deputy head Takashi Yonekawa said.
Noninvasive prenatal testing has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional tests due to its lower stress levels for mothers.
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2026
More pregnant women in Japan undergo prenatal checkups
Noninvasive prenatal testing has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional tests due to its lower stress levels for mothers.
Health minister Kenichiro Ueno at an Upper House plenary session following the passage of a bill to reform the nation's health care insurance system
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 29, 2026
Japan passes bill to raise co-payments for prescription drugs similar to OTC counterparts
The health ministry plans to require individuals to bear additional costs for some 1,100 over-the-counter-like prescription drugs starting in March 2027.
Organ transplants are sometimes called off due to staff shortages, for example, at medical institutions in Japan.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 28, 2026
Health ministry to give financial aid to organ transplant hospitals
The aid program is designed to reduce cases in which transplants are canceled due to staff shortages, as more people become organ donors.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group President and Group CEO Toru Nakashima in 2025. Nakashima believes that Japan must make better use of medical resources.
BUSINESS / Tech
May 19, 2026
SMFG, Fujitsu and SoftBank forming medical alliance to help contain costs
As Japan faces another wave of retirees, technology might help keep the nation fit and control healthcare spending.
The government hopes to reduce medical expenses by asking people to pay more for prescription drugs similar to those that can be purchased at drugstores.
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 15, 2026
Co-payment to reach 50% for prescription drugs similar to OTC ones in Japan
The current medical system has been criticized for allowing drugs that could be replaced by over-the-counter alternatives to be bought for cheaper through public health insurance.
IPS cells cultured by Sumitomo Pharma
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 13, 2026
Health panel approves coverage for iPS cell-derived Parkinson’s disease treatment
The approval of Sumitomo Pharma’s Amchepry makes it the world’s first commercialized medical product derived from iPS cells.
The combined balance at health insurance associations at all large firms in the fiscal year that ends in March 2027 is forecast to result in a ¥289 billion ($1.8 billion) deficit, according to the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 30, 2026
Deficits loom for many health insurance associations at large Japanese firms
Over 70% of such groups are projected to log deficits in fiscal 2026, the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies says.
About half of the sexual abuse cases occurred during one-on-one interactions between patients and staff.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Some 15% of hospitals in Japan report sexual abuse
The survey by the Children and Families Agency, the first of its kind, was conducted online between December 2025 and January 2026.
Out-of-pocket expenses for medicine with ingredients and effects similar to those of over-the-counter drugs are set to be raised from March 2027.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 28, 2026
Lower House approves bills to raise out-of-pocket costs for OTC-like drugs
Under the new system 25% of the prices of OTC-like drugs will be added to out-of-pocket costs from March 2027, aside from those for cancer and other intractable diseases.
Health minister Kenichiro Ueno speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 24, 2026
Japan’s health minister calls for measles vaccinations
According to the minister, 299 measles cases were reported between Jan. 1 and April 12, already exceeding the total figure for 2025.
The Finance Ministry in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2026
Japan proposes drastic cut in medical school enrollment
The Finance Ministry is considering the reduction because of an expected surplus of doctors due to the country’s declining population.
Navigating cancer treatment as a foreign resident of Japan can be an added layer of stress, but nonprofit organizations and community resources are available to support those with a diagnosis.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Apr 20, 2026
Counseling and community for foreign cancer patients in Japan
Navigating cancer treatment as a foreign resident can be daunting, but mental health clinics, nonprofit organizations and other platforms can support the journey.
Japan's health ministry has imposed restrictions on blood and organ donations from people who have stayed in Britain or elsewhere in Europe between 1980 and 2004.
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2026
Japan to lift organ donation curbs for those who have stayed in Europe
The change is expected to take effect as early as this autumn.
Lecanemab and donanemab aim to slow the progression of the neurodegenerative disease by removing a protein called amyloid-beta from the brain, whose buildup is believed to contribute to the death of brain cells.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 8, 2026
Less than 20% of patients in Japan interested in new Alzheimer’s drugs received one
Many were ineligible or decided against taking the medications due to potential side effects and the high cost, a study has found.
Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine President Koji Nishida speaks during a news conference in Kobe on March 18.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 4, 2026
Patient deaths prompt concern over regenerative care not covered by insurance
A series of fatal accidents and regulatory violations involving noncovered regenerative care has prompted health authorities in Japan to review related systems.
Until now, heart transplant patients in Japan who have ventricular assist devices and are given Status 1 priority were ranked by waiting time regardless of urgency.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 24, 2026
Patients with urgent, high-risk conditions to get heart transplant priority
The policy shift aims to reduce deaths of patients waiting for transplants, particularly those at high risk of dying from complications.
Medical academic societies are proposing new guidelines for life-sustaining treatment, focusing more on a patient's will and prior intentions.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 18, 2026
New guidelines for life-sustaining treatment proposed in Japan
The recommendations do not define the end of life but focus on procedures for deciding whether to continue treatment after discussions with patients and families.
People in Japan get among the fewest hours of sleep in the world, with the OECD data showing that the average amount is 7 hours and 22 minutes — far shorter than the global average of 8 hours and 28 minutes.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 17, 2026
Japan’s health ministry to allow clinics to add sleep disorders as their specialties
The move aims to make it easier for people to find doctors who can treat insomnia and other sleep-related health issues.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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