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Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 23, 2013

Obama's toughest campaign yet: selling health care reform

Deep inside the White House, in a bare room that the chief of staff uses for meetings, David Simas is still thinking about turnout.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Nov 9, 2004

A primer on health care

There are two main types of Japanese Health Insurance: National Health Insurance and Employees' Health Insurance
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
May 18, 2023

More nations plan for 'health disasters' fueled by climate change

The health argument for climate action can be very powerful, and can be the one that might motivate governments.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 18, 2022

Years of neglect leaves sexual health clinics ill-prepared for monkeypox

The clinics on the front line of fighting the disease are financially stretched, leaving the U.S. and U.K. ill-equipped to tackle the first major global health test since the pandemic.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Jan 20, 2022

Japan needs radical change to achieve health security

Health crises, such as the ongoing pandemic, are a national security threat just like major disasters and armed attacks, and preparation is vital.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Mar 26, 2021

Despite push, integration of My Number and health cards off to slow start

The rate of uptake for the cards is low at around 25% and, due to the pandemic, many health care providers are not in a rush to install the required systems.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 10, 2021

‘All the systems failed’: Inside America’s mental health crisis

Police in the U.S. spent about a fifth of their time responding to mental health calls, at a cost of $918 million, in 2017, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2017

Japan's buckling health care system at a crossroads

U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to repeal “Obamacare” has left many people here wondering: How does Japan compare?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2017

Japan's health care system edges foreign care in expat survey

Just over half of non-Japanese residents feel Japan's health care system is generally better than that in their home countries, a trend particularly pronounced among U.S. citizens, with 3 out of 4 rating it more highly, an informal Japan Times survey has found.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 29, 2016

Competing interests converge on health care price-setting panel

On Feb. 10, as hundreds of people in business attire watched from the gallery, a panel of experts under the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry adopted a long list of proposals to revise the fees that can be charged by the nation's hospitals and pharmacies for medical procedures and prescriptions under...
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Nov 9, 2013

U.S. insurers directed to treat mental health issues the same as physical ailments

The Obama administration issued a final rule Friday requiring insurers to treat mental health and substance-abuse problems the same way they do physical illnesses.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 6, 2022

China's private health system hurt by tough coronavirus controls

Dozens of private hospitals have declared bankruptcy in China during the past two years, pushed over the edge by the cost of complying with the country's 'COVID zero' policies.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Feb 17, 2022

COVID-19 patients may have increased risk of developing mental health problems

A new study has found that people who had COVID-19 were 39% more likely to be diagnosed with depression and 35% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 21, 2021

As delta variant rages in Southeast Asia, health workers warned not to speak out

In Southeast Asian nations, health care providers calling for stronger job security and better protection against variants of the coronavirus, have put governments on the defensive.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 6, 2021

Should we worry so much about our BMI?

There are few single measures in health care that seem to carry as much weight as body mass index, or BMI. We encounter it not just at doctor’s offices, but with online calculators and smart scales, at gyms and even when determining eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine.
One big challenge public health officials now face is how to restore trust so that people listen to future guidance on everything from flu shots to childhood vaccines.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 27, 2023

Not all COVID-19 ‘misinformation’ is equal — nor misinformation

Public health scientists have to figure out how to get back to the kind of nuanced, thoughtful discussions that were the pre-pandemic norm.
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska speaks in Kyiv during "The Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen," which focused on the stigmatized issue of mental health in the war-torn country.
WORLD / Society
Sep 7, 2023

Tears, stars and 'soft power' at Kyiv mental health summit

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska has led a high-profile campaign encouraging Ukrainians to openly discuss mental health problems.
Simone Biles, seen after winning the U.S. championship on Sunday, brought greater awareness to the subject of mental health during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
OLYMPICS
Jun 6, 2024

Olympic organizers committed to protecting athletes' mental health in Paris

Research suggests that elite athletes suffer from mental health disorders in around the same proportions as the general population, experts say.
Fukuoka Prefecture Medical Association executive director Takeshi Inamitsu said schools should take the initiative in deciding the methods used and things to be checked during their students' health exams.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Sep 16, 2024

Students' clothing at school health checkups comes into focus

Doctors worry signs of illnesses or abuse may be overlooked if examinations are performed in gym clothes or other clothing as urged by the education ministry.
Health ministry officials inspect the Wakayama factory of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical in March after reports of health damage surfaced among people who took the firm's red yeast rice supplements.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Sep 18, 2024

Puberulic acid confirmed as source of beni kōji health issues

The substance produced by blue mold was the cause of kidney problems suffered by consumers of the Kobayashi Pharma supplements, the health ministry said.
Workers remove flowers from a makeshift memorial outside the Zhuhai Sports Center in Zhuhai in south China's Guangdong province on Nov. 13, two days after 35 people were killed in one of the country's deadliest car attacks in years.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Nov 20, 2024

Mass casualty attacks in China put focus on mental health as economy slows

The events have led to a spike in worries about the health of society in China, where attacks have occurred with alarming regularity throughout 2024.
A screenshot of a health ministry website shows an application form to submit documents for approval of a regenerative medicine program.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jul 28, 2025

Health bureaus' inconsistencies on regenerative medicine plans spark outcry

In one case, a regional health and welfare bureau immediately approved a regenerative medicine program but a different bureau rejected the same treatment plan.
A new white paper is set to mention that the number of outpatients with mental illnesses such as depression, adjustment disorder and eating disorder, totaled about 5.86 million in 2020, while noting that stressors are diversifying, ranging from online abuse, work, child rearing and caregiving.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 10, 2024

Japan report to show mental health concerns tripled since 2004

According to an outline of the 2024 white paper, the ministry will point out that it is important to face up to mental health at all life stages.
Takaji Wakita, deputy head of the Japan Institute for Health Security, speaks during an interview on April 21 in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 8, 2025

Japan bolsters pandemic readiness with new health crisis institute

The Japan Institute for Health Security represents the centerpiece of a strengthened framework designed to apply lessons from the early missteps of the COVID-19 crisis.
The LGBTQ  community in the U.S. has expressed shock and dismay regarding government plans to slash the Health and Human Services Department's budget, which includes the elimination of specialised mental health services for LGBTQ  youth.
WORLD / Society
Jun 3, 2025

LGBTQ+ suicide risk rises as Trump cuts mental health services

Since returning to office in January, Trump has signed executive orders to curb LGBTQ+ rights, many of which directly impact young people.
Economic losses in Japan stemming from workers' mental or physical disorders, linked to lower labor productivity, represent about 1% of the country's nominal gross domestic product for 2024.
BUSINESS
Jun 20, 2025

Annual economic losses from workers' health issues reach ¥7.6 trillion

The losses, linked to lower labor productivity, represent about 1% of the country's nominal gross domestic product for 2024.
Workers remove copper from industrial wiring inside a recycling shop in Manila on June 26.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Jul 29, 2025

In the Philippines, informal e-waste dismantling poses health risks

Scavenging electronic waste for the nickel, aluminum and copper inside releases a toxic brew of chemicals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, into the air.
Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Sep 15, 2025

Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’

Young Japanese are saying no to booze — and yes to mocktails, gaming and sober nights out. Breweries are pivoting to meet them.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell