The Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (hereinafter referred to as the “DRIs”) serve as a familiar component of our daily lives. They are widely utilized as a reference in the formulation of school lunch programs, as well as a standard for assessing dietary “excess” or “deficiency” in nutritional research and dietary counseling provided at medical institutions.

The DRIs are evidence-based guidelines developed under the Health Promotion Act, which outline the desirable levels of energy and nutrient intake to maintain and promote the health of the population. Revised every five years, the latest edition—the 2025 DRIs—was released this year. The DRIs are primarily intended for healthy individuals and populations. However, they also encompass those with risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases or frailty—particularly among older adults—provided that they are generally capable of independent daily living or belong to populations composed primarily of such individuals.

The development policy of the DRIs clearly outlines the relationship between the DRIs and clinical practice guidelines for disease management. Specifically, it states that “when providing treatment for individuals or populations with existing diseases or those at high risk for disease, it is essential to first understand the fundamental principles of energy and nutrient intake as outlined in the DRIs, and then utilize relevant disease-specific clinical guidelines accordingly.” Additionally, claims often seen on dietary supplement packaging—such as “You can get your daily intake of ●●!”—are frequently based on the DRIs. This further highlights how these guidelines are closely linked to our daily lives.

Despite their relevance, many people have few opportunities to learn the basics of the DRIs. For healthcare professionals, providing dietary guidance is a common aspect in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and understanding the DRIs is essential when formulating nutrition-related components of treatment guidelines. For the general public, opportunities to understand how daily nutrient requirements are determined remain limited.

In this HGPI Seminar, we are honored to welcome Dr. Satoshi Sasaki, who served as Chair of the Committee for the Revision of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2025 Edition), to provide a comprehensive overview. His presentation will cover the basic concepts underpinning the DRIs, their historical development, current status, and future directions, which will be delivered in a way that is easy to understand, even for those without a background in nutrition.

At HGPI, we continue to engage in discussions on NCDs related to diet and nutrition, including cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, and obesity. Through this seminar, we hope to provide an opportunity to reflect with all of you on the ideal role and remaining challenges of the DRIs within the context of national health policy.

[Event Overview]

• Speaker:
  Dr. Satoshi Sasaki (Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo)
• Date & Time: Wednesday, May 28, 2025; 18:30-19:45 JST
• Format: Online (Zoom webinar)
• Language: Japanese
• Participation Fee: Free
• Capacity: 500 participants

■Profile:

Satoshi Sasaki (Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo)
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Visiting Professor, Kagawa Nutrition University.
Dr. Sasaki holds degrees from the Faculty of Engineering at Kyoto University and the Faculty of Medicine at Osaka University, and earned doctorates from both Osaka University Graduate School and the University of Leuven. A physician and Doctor of Medical Science, he has held key leadership roles, including Chief of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at the Research Institute of the National Cancer Center Japan, and Program Leader of Nutritional Epidemiology at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition. As one of the earliest advocates of Evidence-Based Nutrition (EBN) in Japan, he developed widely used dietary assessment tools tailored to the Japanese population, such as the brief self-administered diet history questionnaire. Dr. Sasaki has played a central role in formulating the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. In parallel, he has been deeply involved in nurturing the next generation of researchers, including through the Tokyo Nutrition Epidemiology Study Group, contributing significantly to the advancement of nutrition science in Japan. His hobbies include visiting local markets and enjoying food culture around the world—he has traveled to dozens of countries and possesses extensive knowledge of global culinary traditions. His publications include: “Evidence-Based Nutrition & Nutritional Epidemiology,” “Understanding the Dietary Reference Intakes,” (Domon Shoin), “How to Read Nutrition Data,” and “The Data-Driven Nutrition Guide by Satoshi Sasaki” (Kagawa Nutrition University Press), among others.