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July 12, 2026
 

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HEALTH

Lecanemab and donanemab aim to slow the progression of the neurodegenerative disease by removing a protein called amyloid-beta from the brain, whose buildup is believed to contribute to the death of brain cells.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 8, 2026
Less than 20% of patients in Japan interested in new Alzheimer’s drugs received one
Many were ineligible or decided against taking the medications due to potential side effects and the high cost, a study has found.
Claims that testosterone therapy is a perimenopausal cure-all overstate its benefits, with evidence showing only modest gains for postmenopausal libido and potential risks at higher doses.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 6, 2026
Testosterone isn’t a magic cure-all for middle age
The reality is that there is currently no FDA-approved testosterone product for women.
Asami Kurihara (right) and her son, Yuto Kurihara, talk as they prepare food together.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Apr 6, 2026
Survivor of 2011 disaster works to keep people healthy with fermented food
After surviving the Great East Japan Earthquake while pregnant, Asami Kurihara obtained a certification for being a fermented food sommelier.
Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine President Koji Nishida speaks during a news conference in Kobe on March 18.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 4, 2026
Patient deaths prompt concern over regenerative care not covered by insurance
A series of fatal accidents and regulatory violations involving noncovered regenerative care has prompted health authorities in Japan to review related systems.
The new adult guardianship system will let people in Japan opt out of support based on their needs, unlike the current system.
JAPAN
Apr 3, 2026
Japan to overhaul adult guardianship system and allow digital wills
Among the changes, the new system lets support recipients flexibly replace their guardians, and it will allow for digital wills to be created on computers and smartphones.
U.K. life expectancy has rebounded to pre-pandemic highs, but worsening health, inequality and a strained medical system are reducing the number of quality years.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 2, 2026
The British are living longer lives — and sicker
Britain’s healthy life expectancy has taken a nosedive; it’s now at its lowest level since the government started measuring it in 2011-2013.
From Wednesday, vaccines to prevent respiratory syncytial virus will be administered to women in their 28th to 36th weeks of pregnancy in Japan to protect their unborn children from the virus.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 30, 2026
Japan to begin RSV vaccinations during pregnancy to protect infants
The vaccine will be administered to women in their 28th to 36th weeks of pregnancy to immunize their babies, with costs primarily covered by public funds.
Tomomi Goto speaks during an interview in Tokyo on March 17. Goto heads a group of plaintiffs in Tokyo who contracted HIV through the administration of untreated blood products.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 29, 2026
Settlement of HIV-tainted blood scandal marks 30 years
Tomomi Goto, 53, who currently leads a group of plaintiffs in Tokyo, warns that prejudice and discrimination against people with infectious diseases remain unresolved.
When reducing labor pain with epidural anesthetic and other drugs, the method of continuously administering drugs was commonly adopted in the past.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 26, 2026
Babies’ health not affected by epidurals, study says
The results offer the choice of “painless delivery with peace of mind,” the doctor leading the study said.
Nana Shimada, an executive officer at FamilyMart and a breast cancer survivor, understands how some people may not want to disclose their cancer diagnosis.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Mar 26, 2026
Japan firms step up efforts to support women balancing cancer treatment and work
With cancer expected to affect 1 in 2 people in Japan, more businesses are strengthening support systems for affected employees while also promoting awareness.
Eisai's Alzheimer's drug Lecanemab, also known as Leqembi
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 25, 2026
Research team confirms safety of Alzheimer’s drug Lecanemab
The research team examined data on the health status of 2,672 patients 28 weeks after the start of the treatment.
The U.S. health care sector has been expanding as baby boomers retire, Social Security rolls rise and medical advances extend lifespans.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 25, 2026
Health care can’t be the only job in town — but it is
Health care is a labor-intensive industry that’s become more central to the economy as baby boomers retire.
Until now, heart transplant patients in Japan who have ventricular assist devices and are given Status 1 priority were ranked by waiting time regardless of urgency.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 24, 2026
Patients with urgent, high-risk conditions to get heart transplant priority
The policy shift aims to reduce deaths of patients waiting for transplants, particularly those at high risk of dying from complications.
Nearly half of Japan’s population suffers from hay fever, fueled by pollen from vast cedar and cypress plantations.
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science / Longform
Mar 23, 2026
The human-made roots of Japan’s hay fever crisis
Efforts to thin forests and breed low-pollen cedar advance, even as labor gaps and neglected land complicate the work.
Medical academic societies are proposing new guidelines for life-sustaining treatment, focusing more on a patient's will and prior intentions.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 18, 2026
New guidelines for life-sustaining treatment proposed in Japan
The recommendations do not define the end of life but focus on procedures for deciding whether to continue treatment after discussions with patients and families.
The health ministry in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. Japan has seen a total of 100 confirmed measles cases so far this year.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 18, 2026
Japan raises alarm over recent measles outbreaks in Tokyo and other cities
Tokyo announced Tuesday that a total of nine people, all males in their 20s working for the same eating and drinking venue, had been infected.
People in Japan get among the fewest hours of sleep in the world, with the OECD data showing that the average amount is 7 hours and 22 minutes — far shorter than the global average of 8 hours and 28 minutes.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 17, 2026
Japan’s health ministry to allow clinics to add sleep disorders as their specialties
The move aims to make it easier for people to find doctors who can treat insomnia and other sleep-related health issues.
Nonprofit Masimanyane Women’s Rights International holds a workshop in East London, South Africa.
WORLD / Society
Mar 14, 2026
African countries consider ‘vice taxes’ to help fill USAID cuts
As the momentum for funding health initiatives slows down, African governments are exploring ways to minimize reliance on foreign donors.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi enters the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 13, 2026
Takaichi misses events due to cold symptoms ahead of U.S. visit
A video showing the prime minister looking visibly exhausted after a budget committee session on Thursday garnered attention online.
Lesoeru 72, which is priced at ¥6,930 per tablet, must be taken within 72 hours of intercourse.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 10, 2026
Second morning-after pill now available over the counter in Japan
Lesoeru 72, which went on sale on Monday, joins NorLevo as the country’s only two emergency contraceptive medications that do not need a doctor’s prescription.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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