Research Areas

Domestic Health Policy Reform
Faced with a rapidly aging population, a growth in non-communicable diseases, and threats to health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan’s health system needs to adapt to a new generation of complex challenges, which affect health outcomes, health inequality and the sustainability of Japan’s universal healthcare system. We contribute to the debate about the future of Japan’s health system through data analysis and policy discussion and formulation with government and health industry stakeholders.
  • Ghaznavi C, Ishikane M, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Nomura S. Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency declarations on the relative incidence of legionellosis and invasive pneumococcal disease in Japan. Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy. 2023 Jan;29(1):90-94.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Sakamoto H, Ueda P, Ishikane M, Ando N, Miyazato Y, Nomura S. Recent changes in the reporting of STIs in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sex Transm Infect. 2023 Mar;99(2):124-127.

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  • Prommas P, Lwin KS, Chen YC, Hyakutake M, Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Miyata H, Nomura S. The impact of social isolation from COVID-19-related public health measures on cognitive function and mental health among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews. 2023 Mar;85:101839.

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  • Shimizu K, Ueda P, Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Nomura S. Assessment of traffic accidents in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic vs. previous years: a preliminary report. Healthcare. 2022; 10(5).

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  • Lwin KS, Nomura S, Swe KT, Gilmour S, Alam MA, Hashizume M. Attributable risk of household solid fuel use and second-hand smoke associated with under-5 mortality in 46 low- and lower-middle-income countries, 2010-2020. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2022 May 11;243:113986.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Makiyama K, Sakamoto H, Ueda P, Eguchi A, Nomura S. Changes in marriage, divorce and births during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. BMJ Global Health. 2022; 7(5).

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  • Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Kawashima T, Horiuchi S, Ishikane M, Abe SK, Yoneoka D, Eguchi A, Tanoue Y, Hashizume M, Nomura S. Decreased incidence followed by comeback of pediatric infections during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. World J Pediatr. 2022 May 31:1-4.

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  • Nomura S, Eguchi A, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Suzuki M, Hashizume M. Excess deaths from COVID-19 in Japan and 47 prefectures from January through June 2021. Public Health. 2022; 203: 15-8.

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  • Adachi M, Murakami M, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Hashizume M, Sakamoto H, Eguchi A, Ghaznavi C, Gilmour S, Kaneko S, Kunishima H, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Tanoue Y, Yamamoto Y, Miyata H, Nomura S. Factors associated with the risk perception of COVID-19 infection and severe illness: A cross-sectional study in Japan. SSM Popul Health. 2022 Jun;18:101105.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Nomura S, Kubota A, Yoneoka D, Shibuya K, Ueda P. Fish in the sea: number, characteristics, and partner preferences of unmarried Japanese adults - analysis of a national survey. PLoS One. 2022; 17(2): e0262528.

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  • Nomura S (co-first), Yoneoka D, Eguchi A, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Murakami M, Sakamoto H, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Gilmour S, Shi S, Kunishima H, Kaneko S, Adachi M, Shimada K, Yamamoto Y, Miyata H. Identification of optimum combinations of media channels for approaching COVID-19 vaccine unsure and unwilling groups in Japan. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2022 Jan;18:100330.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Eguchi A, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Suzuki M, Hashizume M, Nomura S. Pre- and post-COVID-19 all-cause mortality of Japanese citizens versus foreign residents living in Japan, 2015–2021. SSM Popul Health. 2022 May 10;18:101114.

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  • Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Uryu S, Nomura S, Eguchi A, Makiyama K, Matsuura K. Public transportation network scan for rapid surveillance. Biostatistics & Epidemiology. 2022: 1-15.

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  • Koda M, Harada N, Eguchi A, Nomura S, Ishida Y. Reasons for suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. JAMA Network Open. 2022; 5(1): e2145870.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Yamasaki L, Nomura S, Yoneoka D, Shibuya K, Ueda P. Salaries, degrees, and babies: trends in fertility by income and education among Japanese men and women born 1943-1975-Analysis of national surveys. PLoS One. 2022; 17(4): e0266835.

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  • Nomura S, Sakamoto H, Ghaznavi C, Inoue M. Toward a third term of health Japan 21 - implications from the rise in non-communicable disease burden and highly preventable risk factors. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2022; 21: 100377.

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  • Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Nomura S, Eguchi A. Distributed lag interrupted time series model for unclear intervention timing: effect of a statement of emergency during COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2022; 22(1): 202.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Gilmour S, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Kawamura Y, Miyata H, Nomura S. Inter-prefectural travel and network connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Journal of Epidemiology. 2022 Nov 5;32(11):510-518.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Murakami M, Gilmour S, Kaneko S, Kunishima H, Naito W, Sakamoto H, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Takahashi A, Takayama Y, Tanoue Y, Yamamoto Y, Yasutaka T, Miyata H, Nomura S. Factors associated with reversals of COVID-19 vaccination willingness: Results from two longitudinal, national surveys in Japan 2021-2022. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2022: 100540.

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  • Nomura S, Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Murakami M, Ghaznavi C, Gilmour S, Kaneko S, Kawashima T, Kunishima H, Naito W, Sakamoto H, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Takahashi A, Takayama Y, Tanoue Y, Yamamoto Y, Yasutaka T, Miyata H. Characterising reasons for reversals of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among Japanese people: one-year follow-up survey. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2022: 100541.

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  • Tanoue Y, Ghaznavi C, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Nomura S. Changes in health care access during the COVID-19 pandemic: estimates of national Japanese data, June 2020-October 2021. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(14).

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  • Nomura S, Eguchi A, Ghaznavi C, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Yoneoka D, Yamasaki L, Suzuki M, Hashizume M. Excess deaths from non-COVID-19-related causes in Japan and 47 prefectures from January 2020 through May 2021 by place of death. SSM Popul Health. 2022 Sep;19:101196.

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  • Lwin KS, Ghaznavi C, Win KL, Gilmour S, Hashizume M, Nomura S. Myanmar's coup risks a flood of vaccine-preventable disease. J Glob Health. 2022 Sep 3;12:03060.

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  • Yoneoka D, Eguchi A, Fukumoto K, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Tabuchi T, Miyata H, Ghaznavi C, Shibuya K, Nomura S. Effect of the Tokyo 2020 summer olympic games on COVID-19 incidence in Japan: a synthetic control approach. BMJ Open. 2022; 12(9): e061444.

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  • Uchibori M, Ghaznavi C, Murakami M, Eguchi A, Kunishima H, Kaneko S, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Miyata H, Nomura S. Preventive behaviors and information sources during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(21).

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  • Nomura S, Sakamoto H, Rauniyar SK, Shimada K, Yamamoto H, Kohsaka S, Ichihara N, Kumamaru H, Miyata H. Analysis of the relationship between the HbA1c screening results and the development and worsening of diabetes among adults aged over 40 years: a 4-year follow-up study of 140,000 people in Japan - the Shizuoka study. BMC Public Health. 2021; 21(1): 1880.

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  • Nomura S, Murakami M, Ozaki A, Sawano T, Leppold C, Nishikawa Y, Saito H, Oikawa T, Tsubokura M. Comparative risk assessment of non-communicable diseases by evacuation scenario- a retrospective study in the 7 years following the Fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Global Health Action. 2021; 14(1): 1918886.

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  • Shimizu K, Gilmour S, Mase H, Le PM, Teshima A, Sakamoto H, Nomura S. COVID-19 and heat illness in Tokyo, Japan: implications for the summer olympic and paralympic games in 2021. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Mar 31;18(7):3620.

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  • Nomura S(co-first), Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Shi S, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Makiyama K, Uryu S, Sawada M, Kawamura Y, Takayanagi S, Gilmour S, Miyata H. Effect of emergency declaration on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A social network service-based difference-in-differences approach. Science Progress. 2021; 104(3): 368504211029793.

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  • Nomura S (co-first), Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Eguchi A, Ng CFS, Matsuura K, Shi S, Makiyama K, Uryu S, Kawamura Y, Takayanagi S, Gilmour S, Miyata H, Sunagawa T, Takahashi T, Tsuchihashi Y, Kobayashi Y, Arima Y, Kanou K, Suzuki M, Hashizume M . Excess all-cause deaths during Coronavirus disease pandemic, Japan, January-May 2020. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021;27(3):789-795.

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  • Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Makiyama K, Tanoue Y, Nomura S, Eguchi A. Geographically weighted generalized Farrington algorithm for rapid outbreak detection over short data accumulation periods. Statistics in Medicine. 2021; 40(28): 6277-94.

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  • Murano Y, Ueno R, Shi S, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Tanaka S, Nomura S, Shoji H, Shimizu T, Nguyen H, Miyata H, Gilmour S, Yoneoka D. Impact of domestic travel restrictions on transmission of COVID-19 infection using public transportation network approach. Scientific Reports. 2021; 11(1): 3109.

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  • Nomura S, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Gilmour S, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Miyata H. Mobility patterns in different age groups in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic: a small area time series analysis through March 2021. Journal of Urban Health. 2021; 98(5): 635-41.

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  • Ozaki A, Murakami M, Nomura S, Sawano T, Tsubokura M, Ono K, Takebayashi Y, Tsukada M, Yamaoka K, Nakata Y, Ohira H. Overall health information exposure, its barriers and impacts on attitude toward healthcare among cancer patients. The long-term aftermath of the 2011 triple disaster in Fukushima, Japan: A single institution cross-sectional study. Health Informatics Journal. 2021; 27(2): 1460458221996420.

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  • Arik SO, Shor J, Sinha R, Yoon J, Ledsam JR, Le LT, Dusenberry MW, Yoder NC, Popendorf K, Epshteyn A, Euphrosine J, Kanal E, Jones I, Li CL, Luan B, McKenna J, Menon V, Singh S, Sun M, Ravi AS, Zhang L, Sava D, Cunningham K, Kayama H, Tsai T, Yoneoka D, Nomura S, Miyata H, Pfister T. A prospective evaluation of ai-augmented epidemiology to forecast COVID-19 in the USA and Japan. NPJ Digit Med. 2021; 4(1): 146.

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  • Nomura S, Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Murakami M, Sakamoto H, Maruyama-Sakurai K, Gilmour S, Shi S, Kunishima H, Kaneko S, Adachi M, Shimada K, Yamamoto Y, Miyata H. Reasons for being unsure or unwilling regarding intention to take COVID-19 vaccine among Japanese people: A large cross-sectional national survey. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2021; 14: 100223.

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  • Nomura S(co-first), Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Eguchi A, Shi S, Miyata H. The relationship between fever rate and telework implementation as a social distancing measure against the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Public Health. 2021; 192: 12-4.

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  • Eguchi A, Nomura S, Gilmour S, Harada N, Sakamoto H, Yoneoka D, Ueda P, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Hayashi TI, Arima Y, Suzuki M, Hashizume M. Suicide by gender and 10-year age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic vs previous five years in Japan: An analysis of national vital statistics. Psychiatry Res. 2021 Aug 21;305:114173.

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  • Nomura S, Kawashima T, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Eguchi A, Gilmour S, Hashizume M. Trends in deaths from road injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, January to September 2020. Inj Epidemiol. 2021;7(1):66.

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  • Nomura S, Kawashima T, Harada N, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Eguchi A, Gilmour S, Kawamura Y, Hashizume M. Trends in suicide in Japan by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic, through December 2020. Psychiatry Res. 2021;300:113913.

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  • Hsai NM, Matsui M, Ng CFS, Khaing CT, Imoto A, Sayed AM, Huy NT, Kamiya Y, Moji K. Satisfaction of pregnant women with antenatal care services at women and children hospital in south okkalapa, myanmar: a facility-based cross-sectional study triangulated with qualitative study. Patient Preference and Adherence. 2020 Dec 18;14:2489-2499.

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  • de Veyra C, Chua PLC, Reyes M, Berguia G, Dema-ala C, Belizario Jr V. Bridging research to policy for the prevention and control of parasitic neglected tropical diseases in the Philippines: The war on worms campaign. The Lancet Global Health. 2020; 8: S38.

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  • Nomura S, Yoneoka D, Shi S, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Matsuura K, Makiyama K, Ejima K, Taniguchi T, Sakamoto H, Kunishima H, Gilmour S, Nishiura H, Miyata H. An assessment of self-reported COVID-19 related symptoms of 227,898 users of a social networking service in Japan: Has the regional risk changed after the declaration of the state of emergency? The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2020; 1: 100011.

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  • Nomura S (co-first), Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Tanoue Y, Ejima K, Shi S, Eguchi A, Taniguchi T, Sakamoto H, Kunishima H, Gilmour S, Nishiura H, Miyata H. Early SNS-based monitoring system for the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan: a population-level observational study. Journal of Epidemiology. 2020; 30(8): 362-70.

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  • Huang HL, Leung CY, Saito E, Katanoda K, Hur C, Kong CY, Nomura S, Shibuya K. Effect and cost-effectiveness of national gastric cancer screening in Japan: a microsimulation modeling study. BMC Medicine. 2020; 18(1): 257.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Nomura S, Kubota A, Yoneoka D, Shibuya K, Ueda P. The herbivore's dilemma: Trends in and factors associated with heterosexual relationship status and interest in romantic relationships among young adults in Japan-znalysis of national surveys, 1987-2015. PLoS One. 2020; 15(11): e0241571.

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  • Nomura S (co-first), Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Shi S, Eguchi A, Ejima K, Taniguchi T, Sakamoto H, Kunishima H, Gilmour S, Nishiura H, Miyata H. Large-scale epidemiological monitoring of the COVID-19 epidemic in Tokyo. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2020; 3: 100016.

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  • Nomura S, Yoneoka D, Tanaka S, Makuuchi R, Sakamoto H, Ishizuka A, Nakamura H, Kubota A, Shibuya K. Limited alignment of publicly competitive disease funding with disease burden in Japan. PLoS One. 2020; 15(2): e0228542.

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  • Nomura S(co-first), Tanoue Y, Yoneoka D, Kawashima T, Eguchi A, Shi S, Harada N, Miyata H. Mental health of family, friends, and co-workers of COVID-19 patients in Japan. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 291: 113067.

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  • Nomura S, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Shi S, Eguchi A, Miyata H. Time to reconsider diverse ways of working in Japan to promote social distancing measures against the COVID-19. Journal of Urban Health. 2020; 97(4): 457-60.

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  • Shi S, Tanaka S, Ueno R, Gilmour S, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Nomura S, Eguchi A, Miyata H, Yoneoka D. Travel restrictions and SARS-CoV-2 transmission: an effective distance approach to estimate impact. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2020; 98(8): 518-29.

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  • Nomura S(co-first), Eguchi A, Yoneoka D, Shi S, Tanoue Y, Kawashima T, Matsuura K, Makiyama K, Ejima K, Gilmour S, Nishiura H, Miyata H. Trend change of the transmission route of COVID-19-related symptoms in Japan. Public Health. 2020 Oct;187:157-160.

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  • Nomura S, Kawashima T, Yoneoka D, Tanoue Y, Eguchi A, Gilmour S, Kawamura Y, Harada N, Hashizume M. Trends in suicide in Japan by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic, up to September 2020. Psychiatry Research. 2020;295:113622.

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  • Stickley A, Ng CFS, Watanabe C, Inoue Y, Koyanagi A, Konishi S. General thoughts of death and mortality: findings from the Komo-Ise cohort, Japan. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences. 2019 Dec;28(6):662-669.

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  • Ghaznavi C, Sakamoto H, Yoneoka D, Nomura S, Shibuya K, Ueda P. Trends in heterosexual inexperience among young adults in Japan: analysis of national surveys, 1987-2015. BMC Public Health. 2019; 19(1): 355.

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  • Ng CFS, L C S, R Ismail, Lian H T, Christina P L. Clinicians’ diagnostic practice of dengue infections. Journal of Clinical Virology. 2007 Nov;40(3):202-6.

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