Category: Health

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 2, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Hospitals Japan Medical Mental Health

Japanese Society of Sleep Research Requests Government Add ‘Sleep Disorders’ to Names of Medical Departments

As the number of people struggling with insomnia and insufficient sleep increases, the Japanese Society of Sleep Research has submitted a formal request to the government to add “Sleep Disorders” to the names of medical departments. They envision combining this term with existing department names, such as “Sleep Disorder Internal Medicine,” and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is now considering the proposal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 26, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Japan Medical

Exposure to 1-minute sound may prevent motion sickness: Japan team

People suffering from motion sickness may be able to prevent their symptoms from developing just by listening to a minute of special sound, a Japanese research team said. The research found a sound at 100 hertz stimulates the inner ear and helps to reduce motion sickness by improving balance, the team said, while current preventive measures are largely limited to taking medicines.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 24, 2025 Number of comments0
Elderly Health Japan Medical

Japan Health Insurance Premium Rate to Hit Record High

The National Federation of Health Insurance Societies, or Kenporen, said Wednesday that the average premium rate at corporate health insurance societies in Japan is expected to hit a record high of 9.34 pct in fiscal 2025. The rate is projected to rise 0.03 percentage point from the previous year ended in March, affected by higher contributions to the medical care services for the elderly, according to the group of health insurance societies for employees of large corporations and their families.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 22, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Hospitals Infectious Diseases Japan

Japan Reports 1st Tally of Acute Respiratory Infection Cases

The number of new cases of acute respiratory infection, or ARI, reported at some 3,000 designated medical institutions across Japan was 181,270 in the week through April 13, a national institute said Tuesday. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security, the number of ARI patients per medical institution in the reporting week stood at 49.39. By prefecture, Tochigi logged the highest figure, at 94.13, and Kochi posted the lowest figure, at 27.37. The number of ARI patients will be released every Tuesday, and the overview of the ARI situation in Japan will be updated every Friday.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 1, 2025 Number of comments0
Birth Rate Children Health Japan

Half of Needy Households in Japan Unable to Buy Diapers

As many as 49.2 pct of needy households with infants have experienced an inability to buy disposable diapers due to economic reasons, according to a survey by international nongovernmental organization Save the Children Japan. 
   An inability to buy baby formula has been experienced by 39.6 pct.
   According to the survey, conducted online between June and August last year, 74.6 pct of respondents said they changed diapers less often when they couldn’t buy diapers, while an inability to buy powdered milk led 41.1 pct to feed babies with diluted formula and 27.9 pct to use less of it.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 30, 2025 Number of comments0
Children Health Japan Pregnancy

Secondhand Smoke More Than Doubles Placental Abruption Risk Tohoku University Study Indicates

Exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy increases by about 2.3 times the risk of placental abruption, a condition in which part of the placenta separates from the uterine wall before childbirth, according to a study conducted by a team from Japan’s Tohoku University.  It found that pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke for four to seven days a week and at least an hour a day had 2.34 times the risk of suffering placental abruption compared with those who were not. The risk was 2.21 times higher among pregnant women who smoked at least 11 cigarettes per day compared with nonsmokers.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 24, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Expo 2025 Health iPS Japan

“Osaka Healthcare Pavilion” Unveiled to Press

A preview ceremony was held Sunday for the “Osaka Healthcare Pavilion” to be run by the prefecture and city of Osaka at the 2025 World Exposition, which begins next month in the western Japan city. 
   Inside the pavilion, a myocardial cell sheet using induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cell technology and an experience-based area where avatars are generated based on visitors’ health data were shown to the press.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 21, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Elderly Health Japan Paid Referrals Podcast

The Saga of ‘Paid Referrals’ of Disability Welfare Services Continues [Podcast Episode]

By March 17th, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare had thoroughly informed local governments that it is prohibited for disability welfare service facilities and businesses to pay money or goods to referral companies in return for introducing users to them, as this is a violation of the operating standards. It was originally prohibited to pay referral fees to consultation support specialists who create service usage plans and other disability welfare businesses, but the treatment of the general public and referral companies was unclear, so this was clarified.