Category: Health

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 17, 2025 Number of comments0
Crime Health Japan Medical

Japan Government Says Its Taking Strict Fentanyl Countermeasures

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Tuesday that Japan is taking thorough measures against fentanyl, noting that Japanese customs have not uncovered any attempts to smuggle the synthetic opioid through the country in the past six years. Health minister Takamaro Fukuoka and Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato also mentioned fentanyl in separate press conferences on the day. The ministers’ remarks followed media reports that a Chinese organization is suspected of being involved in fentanyl-related exports from Japan to the United States.



by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 15, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Health Japan Medical

‘Slapped cheek syndrome’, or Fifth Disease in Japan Hits 26 Year High

The number of patients with fifth disease, or slapped cheek syndrome, in Japan hit the highest level in some 26 years in the week that ended June 22, according to data compiled by the Japan Institute for Health Security.The number of fifth disease patients reported by some 2,000 medical institutions nationwide stood at 2.53 per institution in the week, the highest since the current counting method was adopted in 1999. In the following week through June 29, the figure came to 2.13, the third highest.Japan’s health ministry is urging pregnant women to consult medical institutions if they experience symptoms, as infections can lead to miscarriages.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 10, 2025 1
Assisted Dying Disability Elderly Election End of Life Care Health Japan

Sanseito’s Leader Kamiya Calls for Self-funded End-of-Life Healthcare and ‘death with dignity’ Legislation

During the ongoing campaign for the House of Councillors election, the political party Sanseito has drawn attention with a controversial pledge: that all medical expenses for life-sustaining treatment at the end of life should be entirely self-funded by patients or their families. Party leader Sohei Kamiya clarified the policy’s intent on July 8 while campaigning in Morioka City. Speaking to reporters, Kamiya explained that the proposal was intended to raise public awareness about the financial realities of end-of-life care. “I included it with the intention of raising awareness,” he stated, “that it would be difficult if people don’t save up when they are facing their final moments.” Beyond the funding issue, Sanseito is also calling for the establishment of legislation to support death with dignity. The party advocates for a legal framework that both honors patient wishes and offers protection to medical professionals making end-of-life decisions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 8, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Immigration Japan Welfare

Foreigners May Have to Pay Lump Sum for Health Insurance in Some Parts of Japan

Foreign residents may soon have to pay their national health insurance premiums up front in some areas, according to a plan by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The move is meant to keep foreign residents from dodging medical fees. As of the end of 2024, foreigners were only paying their insurance premiums 63% of the time, well below the 93% figure for all residents of Japan, both Japanese and foreign nationals, according to a survey by the ministry of 150 municipalities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 29, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Japan Mental Health Work

Japanese diet may help in fight against depression, study shows

The rate of depressive symptoms was lower among working-age people who consume a Japanese-style diet including rice, miso soup and fish, the first study of its kind recently showed. The Japan Institute for Health Security assessed the benefits of a traditional “Japanese-style diet” comprising of soy products, cooked vegetables, mushrooms, fish, seaweed, and green tea, along with a modified version that added fruit, fresh vegetables and dairy products.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 25, 2025 1
Disability Employment Health Japan Mental Health Work

Japan work-related mental illness cases top 1,000, record for 6th year

The number of mental disorder cases recognized as work-related in Japan rose by 172 in fiscal 2024 to 1,055, marking a record high for the sixth straight year, the government said Wednesday, with harassment by superiors cited as the leading cause. Of the total, 88 cases involved suicides or suicide attempts in the fiscal year that ended in March, up nine from the previous year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 24, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Infectious Diseases Japan

Japan begins pre-entry TB checks for foreigners staying over 3 months

Japan introduced mandatory pre-arrival tuberculosis screening on Monday for people planning to stay over three months, starting with those from the Philippines and Nepal, a government official said.

Vietnam is expected to be added to the list in September, with Indonesia, Myanmar and China to follow.

The number of foreign nationals diagnosed with the infectious disease while in Japan is on the rise, and they are comprised mostly of people from the six countries, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. While tuberculosis is curable and preventable, it killed an estimated 1.25 million people in 2023 and has likely regained its status as the world’s deadliest infectious disease after being temporarily overtaken by COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 23, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Health Japan Work

Annual Economic Losses from Workers’ Health Issues Reach 7.6 T. Yen

Economic losses in Japan stemming from workers’ mental or physical disorders, including shoulder stiffness and sleeplessness, total around 7.6 trillion yen each year, a study by Japanese researchers has shown. The losses, linked to lower labor productivity, represent about 1 pct of the country’s nominal gross domestic product for 2024.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 16, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Disability Health Japan

Japan team creates device to measure dizziness symptoms in children

Graduate school students in Japan have developed a device to easily measure symptoms of orthostatic dysregulation, a disorder common among children that causes them physical difficulty getting up in the morning and dizziness when standing.
The team at Nagoya University’s graduate school hopes the device will help sufferers communicate their symptoms clearly when they need to skip classes due to their condition.