Author: Paul

[News] New Publications on Traditional Arts and Cultural Epidemiology in The Lancet Regional Health (Western Pacific) [Assistant Professor Yukiko Honda and Professor Naoki Kondo]

We are pleased to announce the publication of two new articles by our research team, led by Assistant Professor Yukiko Honda and Professor Naoki Kondo, in the Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific Series on Social Prescribing, published on January 15, 2026. These contributions explore the critical role of culture in public health and provide new frameworks for understanding mental and social well-being.

In the first article, titled Traditional arts and events for mental and social well-being, Assistant Professor Honda presents a scoping review of 42 studies framed by the concept of intangible cultural heritage. The study identifies how traditional practices, from daily rituals to extraordinary festivals, serve as living cultural practices that contribute to mental and social well-being by fostering resilience and social connection. [Read the full article here]

Complementing this review, Professor Kondo contributes a commentary titled Cultural epidemiology: a missing lens in public health research. He advocates for the integration of “cultural capital” in epidemiology. Professor Kondo argues that to create effective public health interventions, we must understand the cultural context of how people live, eat, and connect. [Read the full article here]

To explore these insights, a video abstract featuring both researchers is now available online. This video visually demonstrates how local traditions can build stronger societies and summarizes the key messages from these newly published works.

Watch the Video Abstract: Social Prescribing in the Western Pacific Region

Read the Full Series: The Lancet Regional Health – Social Prescribing Series

[Announcement] ISPC2026: The International Social Prescribing Conference to be Held in Kyoto

We are pleased to announce that the International Social Prescribing Conference (ISPC2026) will take place on May 27 and 28, 2026, at the Kyoto University Clock Tower Centennial Hall. This conference will bring together experts to discuss the future of social and cultural prescribing.

We are also happy to inform you that registration and abstract submission are now open. You can register and submit your work directly via the link below. Please note that an Early Registration Discount on the registration fee is available until the end of February, so we encourage you to register early to take advantage of this special rate.

For full details and to access the registration portal, please visit the official English website: https://ispc2026.symposium-hp.jp/

[News] Professor Naoki Kondo Explores “Positive Health” and Social Prescribing in KIZUNA News

We are pleased to announce that Professor Naoki Kondo has contributed a feature article to Issue 13 of KIZUNA News, published by the Matsumoto Global Foundation.

In this article, titled “Positive Possibilities of Positive Health: Insights from a Researcher’s Perspective,” Professor Kondo discusses the critical role of social determinants of health and the growing importance of social prescribing. He describes this approach as a way to create environments that naturally foster community connections.

The article highlights innovative community models, such as the initiative in Yabu City. Here, residents use a “spider web” chart app to visualize their well-being and collaborate with link workers to design their desired lifestyles. By integrating Positive Health with social prescribing, these efforts aim to build resilience and support individuals in fostering rich connections and living with a sense of purpose.

Read the full article here.

[Paper Publication] A Review of Japan’s Medical Care Reimbursement Programs in Primary Care from the Perspective of Social Determinants of Health (Doctoral Student Hiroko Sakurai)

A new paper authored by PhD student Hiroko Sakurai and Professor Naoki Kondo, along with a multidisciplinary team, has been published in the JMA Journal (Japan Medical Association Journal).

The review evaluates the extent to which the Japanese medical reimbursement system incorporates assessments and actions related to Social Determinants of Health (SDH), such as economic status and social support, with a special focus on primary care settings. The researchers reviewed eight specific reimbursement requirements. They found that while recent updates, such as the “Hospitalization and Discharge Support Fee” and “Guidance in Cooperation with Mental Health Care Fee,” explicitly recognize SDH factors like economic deprivation and isolation, significant challenges remain. The study highlights the need for clearer definitions of SDH factors within the payment system, creation opportunities to assess SDH outside of hospital settings, and stronger incentives for collaboration with community support sectors.

This study offers critical insights for future revisions of the reimbursement system to better address health disparities in Japan.

Click here to access the paper.

[News] (Collaboration & Lectures) Welcoming Visiting Scholars Ayako Hiyoshi and Jess Bone to Kyoto University

From late September 2025, Associate Professor Ayako Hiyoshi (Örebro University, Sweden) and Senior Research Fellow Jess Bone (University College London, UK) joined the Kondo Lab at Kyoto University as visiting scholars to advance ongoing collaborative projects.

Both scholars participated in the weekly lab seminars, where they provided insightful feedback on students’ research progress and shared valuable international perspectives on social epidemiology and population health.

Each scholar also delivered a special lecture presenting their latest research and methodological approaches shaping the field of global social epidemiology:

  • September 29 – Associate Professor Ayako Hiyoshi
    “Health Consequences of Life Events – On Family Members and Patients’ Subsequent Life”

  • October 20 – Senior Research Fellow Jess Bone
    “Social, Cultural, and Community Participation and Health”

These lectures offered fresh insights into how social and cultural contexts influence health outcomes, enriching discussions within the lab and fostering new ideas for international collaboration.

On October 24, the Kondo Lab held a appreciation reception to celebrate their visit and express appreciation for their contributions.



Moving forward, the lab will continue strengthening research ties with both scholars, deepening international collaboration in social epidemiology and public health.

Profiles:
Associate Professor Ayako Hiyoshi (Örebro University, Sweden)
Senior Research Fellow Jess Bone (University College London, UK)

For more details on Associate Professor Hiyoshi’s lecture at Kyoto University SPH on October 7, please see the link below (In Japanese).
SPH International Lecture Information

[News] (Publication) New International Collaboration on Psychosocial Determinants of Aging (Assistant Professor Hiroshi Habu and Professor Naoki Kondo)

Professor Naoki Kondo and Assistant Professor Hiroshi Habu of Kyoto University have co-authored a new book titled “Studying Psychosocial Determinants of Aging: Methodological Contributions,” published by the Spanish academic publisher Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch in collaboration with the ARMAQoL Research Group at the University of Valencia, Spain.

This book compiles the latest methodological insights in aging research, focusing on psychology and social epidemiology. It consists of the following four chapters:

  1. Data Harmonization in the Study of Healthy Aging
  2. Cognition Among Older Adults: Contributions to its Measurement and Analysis
  3. Identification and Role of Social Networks on Aging
  4. Public Health Notes on the Ontology of Cultural Capital

The chapter “Public Health Notes on the Ontology of Cultural Capital,” co-authored by Assistant Professor Habu and Professor Kondo, explores the conceptual foundations of cultural capital in public health, highlighting its potential applications for future research and interventions.

The book is available in open access, allowing anyone to read it freely online.

Publication Information:
Kondo, N., Martínez Gregorio, S., Habu, H., Torres, Z., Sánchez Niubó, A., Oliver, A., & Fernández, I. (2025). Studying Psychosocial Determinants of Aging: Methodological Contributions. Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch.
ISBN: 978-84-10814-257

Read the full text here
(If direct access is not available, click “ACCEDER A TIRANT OPEN ACCESS” on the page and search for the book title.)

Rethinking How Public Health Can Address Social Isolation and Loneliness (Adjunct Research Fellow Keiko Ueno, Professor Naoki Kondo）

The article “Present and Future Measures to Address Health Disparities”, written by Keiko Ueno (Adjunct Research Fellow at our laboratory, then Assistant Professor) and Professor Naoki Kondo, was published in Japanese Psychological Review.
For more details, please click here.
Article:  Keiko Ueno, Naoki Kondo. Present and Future Measures to Address Health Disparities. Japanese Psychological Review. 2025; 68(1): 74-85.

[News] (Webinar Announcement) Why Loneliness and Social Connection Matter: Insights from the World Health Organization

Join us for a public webinar hosted by Ending Loneliness Together to mark the launch of the WHO Commission on Social Connection Report.

🗓 Date: Friday, July 11th, 2025
🕛 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (Japan) | 12:00–1:00 PM (AEST)
🌐 Location: Online (register here)

This webinar will explore key findings from the new WHO report and their implications for the Western Pacific region.

Professor Naoki Kondo, member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group (Japan), will join the expert panel to discuss how this report can inform and support Japan’s national efforts to address loneliness and social isolation.

[Media Coverage] PHSSR Summit at Osaka Expo 2025 Highlights Japan’s Strategy for Sustainable and Resilient Health Systems: Professor Naoki Kondo Serves as Advisor for “Domain 1: Population Health”

A special event titled the PHSSR Summit at the Japan International Expo was recently held at Expo 2025 Osaka to introduce key policy recommendations from the Japanese report by the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR).

The Japan report, Key Policy Recommendations for Prevention and Early Intervention for NCDs, identifies current challenges and proposes reforms across seven domains of the healthcare system. The recommendations emphasize equity, integration, value-based care, participatory governance, and environmental sustainability.

Professor Naoki Kondo contributed to this report as an advisor for “Domain 1: Population Health,” providing expert guidance on improving preventive healthcare to reduce health disparities and strengthen early intervention for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Click on News1, News2, and News3 for full media coverage in Japanese.

[Paper Publication] Culture as a Determinant of Health and Well-being: Expanding the Concept of Cultural Capital (Project Researcher Hiroshi Habu, Professor Naoki Kondo)

A paper by Project Researcher Hiroshi Habu and Professor Naoki Kondo was published in F1000Research on June 30, 2025. It explores the challenges of applying Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital to public health and epidemiology. Drawing on public health, epidemiology and cultural anthropology, the authors identify five core challenges: 1. the epistemological divergence between Bourdieu’s focus on power structures and public health’s focus on health promotion; 2. the need to consider intervention-oriented cultural capital concept; 3. the need to assess cultural capital at the collective level; 4. the need for cultural capital concept that encompasses human nature beyond the social space; and 5. the unclear and inconsistent definitions of culture across research fields.

To address these challenges, the study proposes a new theoretical framework that introduces “cultural determinants of health,” “cultural well-being” and “contextual validity,” laying the groundwork for “cultural epidemiology,” a quantitative approach to evaluating culture’s role in health outcomes. These insights offer a foundation for future empirical research and policy development that integrate cultural factors into health interventions.

Click here for access to the full paper.