Chiaki Kameda reports:
TOKYO — Japan will make it easier for startups and other technology companies to gain access to medical records as part of an effort to drive innovation and spur investments in the health care sector.
To ensure that businesses handle personal health information appropriately, a certification program will be set up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which has requested 1.1 billion yen ($9.62 million) as part of its fiscal 2019 budget to help fund the program. A panel of experts will hammer out rules governing privacy, ethics and other considerations.
With Japan’s population aging quickly, the government considers prolonging healthy lifespans a key component of its growth strategy. Medical costs are expected to decrease if people can live longer in good health.
Read more on Nikkei Asian Review.