Futuristic cityscape with elderly Japanese citizens surrounded by medical symbols, representing advanced cardiovascular care.

Aging Gracefully: How Japan is Revolutionizing Cardiovascular Care for Seniors

Beau Callahan in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how Japan's innovative strategies and healthcare adaptations are transforming cardiovascular medicine for an aging population, offering insights for global healthcare systems."

Japan's rapidly aging population presents unique challenges to its healthcare system, particularly in cardiovascular medicine. Over the past half-century, the percentage of elderly individuals (those 65 years and older) has quadrupled, making it imperative to adapt and innovate in medical care.

With cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) accounting for a significant portion of mortality among the Japanese population, strategic efforts are being made to enhance prevention, treatment, and overall healthcare delivery. In 2014, nearly a fifth of Japan's GDP allocated to healthcare was dedicated to cardiovascular care, underscoring its critical importance.

The Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD), launched in 2004, plays a pivotal role in assessing and improving cardiovascular care. This nationwide initiative collects real-world data from participating hospitals, providing invaluable insights into resources, patient burdens, and outcomes related to cardiovascular health.

JROAD: A Comprehensive Approach to Cardiovascular Data Collection

Futuristic cityscape with elderly Japanese citizens surrounded by medical symbols, representing advanced cardiovascular care.

The JROAD initiative exemplifies a commitment to data-driven healthcare improvement. By collecting annual survey data from numerous training hospitals, JROAD provides a detailed overview of cardiovascular health trends across Japan.

Key data points include the number of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF), as well as in-hospital mortality rates. These metrics help healthcare professionals understand the evolving landscape of cardiovascular disease and identify areas for targeted intervention.

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI): Hospitalizations for AMI have seen a slight increase from approximately 69,000 in 2012 to 73,000 in 2016, with in-hospital mortality remaining around 8%.
Heart Failure (HF): There's been a notable increase in heart failure hospitalizations from roughly 210,000 in 2012 to 260,000 in 2016, maintaining an in-hospital mortality rate of about 8%.
Acute Aortic Dissection: Data collection, started in 2015, reveals approximately 20,406 cases in 2015 and 22,171 in 2016, with in-hospital mortality rates of 10.8% and 11.5% respectively.
Cardiologist Growth: The number of Japanese Circulation Society board-certified cardiologists increased from 12,441 in 2012 to 13,690 in 2016, indicating a growing expertise in cardiovascular care.

In 2014, the Japanese Circulation Society partnered with the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center to develop the JROAD-Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database. Derived from the Japanese DPC/Per Diem Payment System (PDPS), this database offers extensive patient-specific information, including demographics, diagnoses, treatments, length of stay, and discharge status.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Cardiovascular Care in Japan

Japan's proactive approach to cardiovascular medicine offers valuable lessons for other nations facing similar demographic shifts. By emphasizing data-driven insights, collaborative initiatives, and tailored medical advancements, Japan is paving the way for a future where its aging population can enjoy longer, healthier lives. Continuous efforts to refine healthcare systems and promote preventive measures will be essential in sustaining these positive trends and improving cardiovascular outcomes for all.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.035858, Alternate LINK

Title: Current Status Of Cardiovascular Medicine In The Aging Society Of Japan

Subject: Physiology (medical)

Journal: Circulation

Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)

Authors: Satoshi Yasuda, Yoshihiro Miyamoto, Hisao Ogawa

Published: 2018-09-04

Everything You Need To Know

What is the role of the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD)?

The Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD) is a comprehensive, nationwide initiative launched in 2004. It collects real-world data from participating hospitals across Japan. This includes information on patient burdens, resources, and outcomes related to cardiovascular health. The data collected is essential for understanding trends in cardiovascular diseases such as Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Heart Failure (HF), and Acute Aortic Dissection. It also helps in identifying areas where improvements in healthcare delivery are needed. The information collected informs the development of targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes and overall healthcare effectiveness.

Why are cardiovascular diseases so important in Japan?

Cardiovascular diseases, including conditions such as Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Heart Failure (HF), and Acute Aortic Dissection, are a significant cause of mortality in Japan. These diseases place a substantial burden on the healthcare system. In 2014, nearly a fifth of Japan's GDP allocated to healthcare was dedicated to cardiovascular care. The data collected by the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD) helps to monitor these diseases, identify trends, and allocate resources effectively. This strategic focus is crucial for managing the health needs of the aging population and reducing the impact of cardiovascular diseases.

What do the statistics on Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Heart Failure (HF), and Acute Aortic Dissection show?

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) involves the hospitalization of patients due to AMI, showing a slight increase from 69,000 in 2012 to 73,000 in 2016, with in-hospital mortality remaining around 8%. Heart Failure (HF) hospitalizations have increased from approximately 210,000 in 2012 to 260,000 in 2016, also with an in-hospital mortality rate of about 8%. Acute Aortic Dissection data collection started in 2015, revealing approximately 20,406 cases in 2015 and 22,171 in 2016, with in-hospital mortality rates of 10.8% and 11.5%, respectively. These statistics, collected via the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD), allow healthcare professionals to monitor the prevalence and impact of each condition, allowing for resource allocation.

How does the Japanese DPC/Per Diem Payment System (PDPS) contribute to healthcare?

The Japanese DPC/Per Diem Payment System (PDPS) is the foundation for the JROAD-Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database developed by the Japanese Circulation Society in collaboration with the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center. This database provides extensive patient-specific information, including demographics, diagnoses, treatments, length of stay, and discharge status. It offers a detailed view of patient care and resource use within the healthcare system. This detailed data enhances the ability to assess healthcare efficiency and effectiveness, improving the quality of care provided to patients, and is an example of data-driven healthcare innovation.

How is Japan adapting to its aging population in terms of cardiovascular care?

Japan's aging population is rapidly increasing, and the healthcare system has adapted to meet the growing demands. The Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD) collects and analyzes data on cardiovascular diseases, which helps to assess and improve healthcare delivery. Furthermore, the increase in the number of board-certified cardiologists from 12,441 in 2012 to 13,690 in 2016 indicates a growing expertise. These efforts underscore the importance of data-driven insights, collaborative initiatives, and tailored medical advancements to support the health and longevity of senior citizens. This proactive approach offers valuable lessons for other nations facing similar demographic shifts.