Japan System Techniques Co., Ltd. (JAST) is supplying medical big data for the purpose of supporting data analysis performed by a research group led by Senior Lecturer Haruka Kato and Professor Atsushi Takizawa of the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology at Osaka Metropolitan University. This research project is conducted as part of an agreement for cooperation between JAST and the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology, Osaka Metropolitan University. At the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology at Osaka Metropolitan University, a research group led by Haruka Kato and Atsushi Takizawa performed an analysis to determine the relationship between the activities of residents of large cities using specific categories of transportation and medical expenses for treating lifestyle diseases.

Data during the coronavirus pandemic between April 2020 and September 2021 were used for this research. Analysis revealed that, using January 13, 2020 as the pre-pandemic basis value (100%), outings by foot exceeding the 70% level resulted in lower lifestyle disease medical expenses in all prefectures of Japan. Furthermore, when outings by automobile exceeded the 80% level in all areas of Japan other than metropolitan areas, expenses for treating lifestyle diseases increased.

Overall, this research demonstrated the existence of a relationship between the methods people used for outings and the change in lifestyle disease medical expenses. This information will serve as a guideline for the types of outings and transportation that should be used during a pandemic to lower expenses for treating lifestyle diseases. For this research project, JAST supplied JAST medical data sets as part of the agreement for mutual cooperation between JAST and Osaka Metropolitan University.

Upcoming Activities: JAST and the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology, Osaka Metropolitan University have concluded an agreement for cooperation to "Promote Research in the Healthcare Field using Medical Big Data." This agreement enables JAST to support the development of new preventive drugs to extend healthy life expectancy and improve quality of life (QOL) at all stages of life. Moreover, JAST's aim is to contribute to society in the overall healthcare field by supporting research projects in collaboration with local governments and other partners.