Japan is making efforts to boost the birth rate. Policies to aid women during the postpartum and child-rearing stages have been enhanced. However, the exact kind of support these women need is still a mystery. This is because there hasn't been enough research on the new policies. Many women in Japan are raising infants and toddlers. Their health-related quality of l...
Japan has been quietly boosting its military presence. On the island of Okinawa, a new regiment of the Ground Self-Defense Force is stationed. This regiment is armed with ship-slaying missiles. These missiles are mounted on trucks. The trucks are dark green. They are easy to move around and hide. However, the regiment is not hiding. They are making sure everyone can ...
In Japan, the medical community is trying to figure out who is providing unnecessary care. This is a big deal because it affects how well patients are treated and how much healthcare costs. Most of the research on this topic has been done in the US. So, Japan is a bit of a mystery. First, let's talk about what low-value care is. It's medical treatment that doesn...
Japan's space ambitions have been on full display. A private Japanese company has been trying to make history by successfully landing a robotic spacecraft on the moon. This isn't their first attempt, but the outcome is still up in the air. The company, based in Tokyo, is part of a new wave of private enterprises. These companies are looking to make a profit by sendi...
Japan is determined to speed up the availability of new cancer treatments. These treatments offer better outcomes than existing options. To make this happen, countries use special pathways to quicken the approval process. This is known as expedited approval. A study compared the speed of drug approvals in Japan and the United States. It focused on 55 cancer drug...
Adolescents with mental health issues often struggle with communication and social interaction. This is where virtual reality (VR) steps in. VR is becoming a popular tool in mental health care. It offers a safe and controlled environment for social interaction and therapy. In Japan, a unique television program uses this technology to help young people with mental...
Asciminib is a drug that has been making waves in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The ASC4FIRST study is a phase III trial that compared asciminib with other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) chosen by doctors. The results were impressive, showing that asciminib was more effective and had better safety and tolerability. This trial included a subgr...
In a move to boost electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, Japan is mulling over a new strategy. The plan? Offer financial help for setting up charging spots for Tesla cars. This is all part of ongoing trade talks with the United States. Right now, Japan gives money to help install charging points for EVs that use the CHAdeMO standard. But Tesla's Superchargers? They'r...
Japan's farm minister, Taku Eto, found himself in hot water after a joke about rice went awry. At a local event, he casually mentioned that he never had to buy rice because his supporters gifted him plenty. This comment sparked outrage, especially in a country grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. Rice prices have surged, more than doubling in the past year. This s...
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a significant health issue in Japan, the United States, and Western Europe. It stands as the second most frequent type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Parsaclisib is a drug that targets a specific pathway in cancer cells. It has shown promise in earlier tests with patients who had relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell NHL, including FL. The ...