Accessible Rail Medical Services Tetsuikai, Navitas Clinic Kawasaki Tetsuya Tanimoto, MD Terumo’s regenerative medicine product for heart failure treatment, "HeartSheet," achieved the world’s first practical application and received manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan in September 2015. However, on July 19th, it was confirmed at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Council Subcommittee on Regenerative Medicine Products and Biological T

Akiko Fujii, Psychotherapist, Japan Air Self-Defense Force Akiko Fujii, clinical psychologist, certified psychologist, and PhD in Education, has worked in city welfare and as an emergency dispatch counselor in Fukushima Prefecture before her current position. In addition to counseling, she is dedicated to resilience education and harassment prevention training. The Unique Aspect of Martial Arts One distinguishing element of traditional Japanese martial arts, such as Kendo, se

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The Biggest Problem: “20 Years of Low Growth Since Incorporation” On a global scale, the University of Tokyo’s biggest problem is its lack of growth since its incorporation as a national university corporation in 2004. According to materials prepared for the “Special Research University Survey Committee of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation,” excluding hospital revenue

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan Enhancing international competitiveness requires funding. However, the ongoing debate about the University of Tokyo’s “tuition fee hike” is ignoring a crucial issue. It is true that the financial situation of the University of Tokyo is weak, and that its fund management is inferior. Yet, in recent years, the university has lagged behind the trend where top Western universities have sign

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The collective strike by medical residents in South Korea has become a topic of global discussion. Not only has it been covered by our national media, but on April 4th, the "New York Times" in the United States also published an extensive explanatory article. Why has such a situation arisen in South Korea? This paper aims to discuss the background. Increasing Medical Demand in South Kore

Tetsuya Tanimoto, M.D. Physician, Medical Governance Research Institute On April 13th, our institute hosted its second public symposium on the Pharmaceutical Money Database (DB), a continuation from last year's inaugural event. Approximately 40 participants, both on-site and online, engaged in spirited discussions. The symposium was opened by Dr. Masahiro Kami, Chairman of our institute, followed by Dr. Hiroaki Saito, who moderated the event. Coinciding with the release of th

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The Kobayashi Pharmaceutical red yeast rice issue has sparked discussions about the safety of health foods, highlighting that Japan is following a trend already established in the U.S. two decades ago. Part of Abenomics, the functional food labeling system initiated in April 2015, was modeled after the U.S.'s Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) established in 1994. This

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The Meiji government began its efforts to organize medical administration in the 7th year of the Meiji era by promulgating the "Medical Law" (Isei) — Japan's inaugural comprehensive health system. At the core of this initiative was Nagayo Sensai, who, alongside individuals like Ōkubo, was a member of the Iwakura Mission that traveled extensively overseas. Nagayo hailed from a lineage of

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The Ministry of the Interior was established in the aftermath of the political upheaval in Meiji 6 (1873) that began with debates over the Korean invasion proposal. This political disturbance saw Saigo Takamori, a key figure of the Meiji Restoration, resign from his official position, which eventually led to the Satsuma Rebellion four years later. Okubo Toshimichi, who had returned from

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan Since 2022, I have been overseeing lectures at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. The subject at hand delves into the intricacies of gathering information. Specifically, I draw upon Japan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study. A primary emphasis within my series of lectures is the importance of "learning from history." Both individuals and organizations possess their unique histor

early childhood teacher training courses in Japan Taichi Akutsu, PhD, Okayama Prefectural University Introduction The negative news could be listed endlessly surrounding in Japanese early childhood education such as shortage of childcare workers, a high rate of turnover, low wages, and declining quality of childcare. Japanese early childhood education faces a necessity of dealing with numerous critical issues. A famous comparative study in the realm of early childhood educati

Tetsuya Tanimoto, M.D. Physician, Medical Governance Research Institute The Medical Governance Research Institute has been at the forefront of transparency in healthcare, showcasing the ties between pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals. Since fiscal year 2016, we have maintained and updated the "YEN FOR DOCS" database, a comprehensive record of payments made to healthcare professionals and institutions. The latest update, including the 2020 data, was released on

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan Mr. Keizo Takemi has been appointed as the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare. His selection by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, particularly as he is a candidate recommended by the Japan Medical Association (JMA), has garnered significant attention from the public. I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Takemi, during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19. At the time, I was asked

Mariko Yagisawa Graduate from the University Advanced Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Studies and Skills at the University of Derby, UK 　In recent years, there has been a global emphasis on nurturing innovation-oriented workers. For instance, the World Economic Forum has predicted that "analytical thinking and innovation" will be the most essential skills for workers in 2025. Consequently, the imperative for both educational institutions and companies is to create an environ

The background of successive arrests and indictments in the Japanese medical society: Corruption is Structural, and the Judiciary is Unhesitant in Making Incisions Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan The judicial eye is becoming stricter towards medical care. On June 8, 2023, the former head of the Policy and Technology Evaluation Research Department of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research was arrested for