In Japan, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect approximately one in five adults aged 20 and over, corresponding to more than 20 million individuals who meet the diagnostic criteria. According to a study using data from the National Federation of Construction Workers’ Health Insurance Societies, among approximately 70,000 individuals who underwent the Specific Health Checkup in fiscal year 2014, only about 5% (approximately 10 individuals: 2% within six months after the checkup and 3% within twelve months) of those newly identified as having CKD visited a medical institution. In contrast, approximately 95% (around 3,990 individuals) did not seek medical care.

In light of this situation, in fiscal year 2024 Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) conducted both quantitative and qualitative research to clarify the challenges in the pathway “from health checkups to medical consultation” for CKD. Based on cross-sectoral discussions, HGPI proposed the need to establish evidence-based criteria for encouraging and promoting medical consultation after health checkup, prioritize target populations for intervention, and develop tailored approaches according to individual differences.

In fiscal year 2025, more concrete discussions were undertaken to advance the “policy implementation” of the previous year’s recommendations. Barriers faced by municipalities (including National Health Insurance and the medical care system for the elderly in the latter stage of life) and workplaces (including employers and employee-based insurers) were carefully identified, and potential solutions as well as the roles to be played by each stakeholder were examined. Going forward, HGPI plans to consolidate policy recommendations based on the issues identified through these discussions and disseminate them widely.

At this seminar, we will welcome Dr. Shingo Fukuma, Advisory Board Member of the HGPI Kidney Disease Project and Research Fellow, who will deliver a lecture on the perspectives and policy directions needed in the CKD field going forward.

In particular, the speaker will provide an accessible overview of the current systems and healthcare services linking post-checkup identification to medical treatment, as well as key challenges revealed through big data analysis, incorporating the latest evidence. The seminar will also serve as an opportunity for participants to consider the future direction of CKD policy in Japan, with a view toward its effective social implementation.

[Event Overview]

• Speaker: Dr. Shingo Fukuma (Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Prevention, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences/ Professor, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine)
• Date & Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026; 18:30-19:45 JST
• Format: Online (Zoom webinar)
• Language: Japanese
• Participation Fee: Free
• Capacity: 500 participants

■ Speaker’s Profile

Dr. Shingo Fukuma (Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Prevention, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences/ Professor, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine)

Dr. Shingo Fukuma specializes in clinical epidemiology and data-driven implementation science. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Hiroshima University and completed graduate studies in Social Health Medicine at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine. He subsequently served as Assistant Professor, Lecturer, and Associate Professor at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine. Since 2025, he has held the position of Professor of Epidemiology and Disease Control at the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University.
His research focuses on causal inference using quasi-experimental designs with large-scale health and medical data, real-world randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and the development of Learning Health Systems (LHS). Centered on chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, his work aims to enhance the quality of healthcare, promote positive health behaviors among patients and the public, and advance the design of healthcare and public health systems. He leads implementation research in collaboration with insurers, municipalities, and research institutions in Japan and internationally.