Media coverage

[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.

[Media Coverage] Towns with More Library Books Tend to Have Longer, Healthier Life Expectancy: Each Additional Library Book per Person Is Associated with a 4% Lower Risk of Needing Long-Term Care among Older Adults

Our research paper, “Public libraries and functional disability: A cohort study of Japanese older adults,” analyzed data from 73,138 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older across 19 Japanese municipalities (mean follow-up 7.3 years) and demonstrated that each additional library book per person corresponded to a 4% reduction in the risk of requiring long-term care.

This finding was featured exclusively in Japanese media, most notably in medical journalist Naoko Iwanaga’s newsletter, which provides an accessible overview of the study alongside commentary from Koji Fujisaka, former director of Nagoya City Shidami Library.

Click here to read the Japanese newsletter. The full paper in English is available here.

News: Media coverage “The decision to postpone pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic is strongly associated with lower well-being”

The content of a paper published by the RISTEX project “How Did The Pandemic Affect Women’s Decisions On Pregnancy?,” sponsored by our laboratory, was recently featured on the website of Theravive, a Canadian organization of clinical psychologists.

“Pregnancy decisions are influenced by societal factors. Those choosing delay often experience isolation and loneliness. This article aims to connect them with support and connection.”

For detailed information, access the published article here. For Paper details, click here.

Media Coverage: “JIBUN TRAINER” program for health guidance using avatars for employees (Checkup Championship)

Hakuhodo DY Holdings (HD) is conducting joint research with us and has been featured in multiple media outlets for its “Checkup Championship.”

Our laboratory (Department of Social Epidemiology at Kyoto University) has been working with Hakuhodo DYHD to verify the effectiveness of the “Checkup Championship,” a workplace health and wellness program. This year, 3D avatar generators were set up at the site of health checkups to generate avatars of preference employees. The generated avatars provide guidance on exercise and eating habits to improve employees’ health awareness.

Our laboratory is conducting joint research with the company on the effectiveness of the “JIBUN TRAINER” program.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun: Hakuhodo DYHD Employee avatar guides own exercise (Published on October 11, 2023); click here for details.

Jiji.com News (Jiji Press): Exercise instruction is avatar’s own “Health Management” by motivating slothful employees (Published on October 16, 2023); click here for details.

Media Coverage: Tsukuba Science News “Toward Solving the Problem of Social Isolation and Loneliness, which is Essential to Achieving the SDGs”

Project “Hybrid Care Network with ‘Anywhere Door’ for Local Communities”, for which Naoki Kondo is the principal investigator, was introduced in Tsukuba Science News.

Tsukuba Science News “Toward Solving the Problem of Social Isolation and Loneliness, which is Essential to Achieving the SDGs”

 

【Media coverage】: “With COVID-19 era, questioning the state of health management from lifelog data, updataNOW20 event report” in Data no Jikan(Professor Kondo)

An event attended by Naoki Kondo and Mr.Toshinari Watanabe (President, Link and Communication Co., Ltd.), with whom he is conducting joint research, was introduced in Data no Jikan.

Data no Jikan

“With COVID-19 era, questioning the state of health management from lifelog data, updataNOW20 event report” Published on November 4, 2021.

 

 

 

Media coverage: Older people’s internet use may be good for physical and mental health (JAGES)

The Dempa Shimbun has reported on a study which suggests that older people’s use of the internet may act to improve their physical and mental health.

The study was conducted by the Japan Agency for Gerontological Evaluation and Research (JAGES), of which Kondo is a director.

The Denpa Shimbun, 27 October 2021
Older people’s use of the internet positively affects their physical and mental health but reduces their relative risk of depression
https://dempa-digital.com/article/244518

Media Coverage: Depression Risk Research among Farmers: The Need for Mutual Aid across the Community (Special Research Student Mariko Kanamori)

Special research student, Mariko Kanamori’s paper was introduced in several newspapers.

“Farmers’ depression risk study: Helping each other beyond the community is necessary” San-in Chuo Shimpo (July 5, 2021)
https://www.sanin-chuo.co.jp/articles/-/54401

In addition, Okinawa Times, Kobe Shimbun, Nihonkai Shimbun, Kochi Shimbun (Kochi), Sanyo Shimbun (Sanyo)
(Kochi), Sanyo Shimbun, Niigata Nippo, Fukushima Minpo, Iwate Nippo, Saitama Shimbun, Tokyo Shimbun, Minami-Nippon Shimbun, Akita Sakigake, San-in Chuo Shimpo, Tooku Nippo, Yamagata Shimbun, Nagasaki Shimbun, Saga Shimbun

Mariko Kanamori, a veterinarian and graduate student at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, who is a member of the team, said, “Farming is a job that requires a lot of mutual help in the community. If there are few peers in the community, it may be difficult to help each other, which may affect mental health. I think it is necessary to enhance the system to help each other across the region.

Reference
Kanamori, M., Hanazato, M., Kondo, K., Stickley, A., & Kondo, N. (2021). Neighborhood farm density, types of agriculture, and depressive symptoms among older farmers: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-11 .

Mariko Kanamori’s website is here.