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July 01, 2026
 

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MEDICINE

Concerta, an ADHD drug marketed by Janssen Pharmaceutical, is in short supply in Japan as demand has climbed recently.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Mar 30, 2026
ADHD medication in short supply in Japan as demand soars
Some clinics have stopped prescribing stimulant Concerta to new patients or limiting doses for longtime patients due to limited stock.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says there will be no immediate disruption to supply of petroleum products for medical devices.
JAPAN
Mar 30, 2026
Takaichi seeks to ease concerns over medical-product supplies
The prime minister acknowledged that crude-oil shortages in other Asian nations led to worries about the long-term supply of products manufactured elsewhere and shipped to Japan.
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.
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.
Tanabe Pharma, a 348-year-old provider of medicines, was bought by Bain last year for about ¥510 billion.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 26, 2026
Bain-owned Tanabe Pharma targets global deals to fuel growth
A new team of around eight people in the U.S., in addition to an existing team in Japan, is sourcing therapies globally, particularly in rare diseases.
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.
Aichi Hospital in Dhaka, established with support from the people of Aichi Prefecture
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 23, 2026
At Dhaka’s Aichi Hospital, a promise to care for the needy lives on
The hospital was set up in 1996 by a doctor who studied at Nagoya University and with support from the people of Aichi Prefecture.
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.
An Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft remains parked at the airport after the flight was canceled at Incheon International Airport in South Korea on March 5.
WORLD
Mar 16, 2026
Middle East war disrupts pharma air routes and risks cancer drugs supply
The conflict has knocked out key air transit hubs and closed shipping routes.
Saitama Prefectural Children’s Medical Center head Akira Oka (center left) and other staff bow to reporters in the city of Saitama on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 12, 2026
Unexpected drug found as Saitama hospital probes death of teen after treatment
An anticancer drug found in a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid was not intended for use in the therapy he received.
Astellas Pharma Chief Executive Officer Naoki Okamura
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 11, 2026
Trump’s drug cost push helps Astellas win higher price in Japan
Japan, where medicine prices are among the lowest in the most developed nations, has become a critical reference point in U.S. plans to match drug prices with other countries.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic strategy aims to boost the nation’s growth potential by offering public support to cutting-edge industries.
BUSINESS
Mar 10, 2026
Japan’s investment targets include AI, quantum computing and drones
The list includes 27 technologies already under early stage review, such as physical artificial intelligence systems, regenerative medicine, quantum computing and marine drones.
Long-term studies show that mentally stimulating activities such as games and targeted brain training can strengthen cognitive resilience and delay the onset of dementia.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 10, 2026
Tired of spending billions on dementia care? Try a brain workout.
Twenty years later, about 25% fewer people in the speed training group developed dementia compared with the people who weren’t offered the intervention.
A small group of people carry rare genes that slow aging itself, protecting them from major diseases even when their lifestyles are far from ideal. Scientists hope to replicate these protective effects.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 10, 2026
Why some people live to 100 despite doing everything wrong
A recent study showed that longevity is roughly 50% genetic and 50% environmental — a substantially higher genetic contribution than earlier research indicated.
A nurse prepares to test people at a COVID-19 testing facility in in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug. 13, 2020
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 10, 2026
New Zealand COVID-19 curbs saved lives but brought social and fiscal costs
The Royal Commission made 24 recommendations for improving preparedness for future pandemics, including assessments of fiscal resilience and clearer decision-making during crises.
A researcher works in the vaccine laboratory of Panacea Biotec, a pharmaceutical company in New Delhi.
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Mar 6, 2026
India moves closer to dengue vaccine as final trials underway
Dengue, which causes severe flu-like symptoms and debilitating body aches, has exploded globally, fueled by rising temperatures and densely populated cities.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Yen hits 40-year low against the dollar, breaking ¥162 level
Japan's currency broke ¥162 to the dollar on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

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

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