The 3rd "Extend Healthy Life Expectancy! Award" Grand Prize Winners: In the Lifestyle-Related Disease Prevention Category: Suzaka City Health Guidance Committee In the Care Prevention and Senior Life Support Category: Mutsumi Genki Support Team (Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture)

On Tuesday, November 18, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare held the "3rd Extend Your Healthy Life Expectancy! Awards" ceremony at the Urban Center Hotel to honor companies and others demonstrating outstanding initiatives in health promotion.
　This award system, now in its third year, is part of the "Smart Life Project," a national campaign by the Ministry to improve lifestyle habits and extend healthy life expectancy. Awards were given in two categories: "Lifestyle-Related Disease Prevention" and "Long-Term Care Prevention and Support for Elderly Living." Within each category, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award (Grand Prize, Excellence Award) and the Director-General Award were presented.

Katsunori Hara, Deputy Director-General of the MHLW, attended the ceremony and presented the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Awards (one Grand Prize and three Excellence Awards across both categories) to particularly outstanding initiatives. The Grand Prize in the Lifestyle-Related Disease Prevention category went to the Suzaka City Health Guidance Committee, while the Grand Prize in the Long-Term Care Prevention and Senior Life Support category was awarded to the Mutsumi Genki Support Team (Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture).

Additionally, a talk show was held featuring Mr. Yuichiro Miura, a professional skier and adventurer appointed as a "Vibrant Health Ambassador" by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and his second son, Mr. Gota Miura, also a professional skier and Doctor of Medicine. Mr. Yuichiro Miura stated, "I strive to be more energetic and healthier myself. I believe there are two types of health. One is protecting your health. And because you have that protection, you can pursue an offensive approach to health. At the root of it all was my goal to climb Mount Everest." As a Health Ambassador, he shared this anecdote about how setting goals changed his perspective on his own health.

For details, visit the Smart Life Project website: http://www.smartlife.go.jp/

The award-winning companies, organizations, and municipalities, along with their initiatives, are as follows.

≪Lifestyle-Related Disease Prevention Category≫

【Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Grand Prize】(1 recipient)
・Suzaka City Health Guidance Committee
"Health Promotion Activities by Health Guidance Officers: 'Create and Protect Your Own Health' for the Well-being of Citizens"

【Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award for Excellence】(3 entries)
＜Corporate Sector＞
・ITOKI Corporation
"Workcise: Promoting Health While Working in the Office"

＜Organization Category＞
・Edogawa Ward Medical Association
"Cutting-Edge Edogawa Style: Visualize Your Risks! Get Health Guidance on Checkup Day and Everyone Smiles!"

＜Municipal Government Category＞
・Kumamoto City (Kumamoto Prefecture)
"Toward a City Where All Citizens Can Live Vibrant Lives in Their Familiar Neighborhoods Throughout Their Lifetimes ~ Protecting Citizens' Kidneys (Sora Mame) Through a Network ~"

【Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Health Bureau Director's Award for Excellence】(13 entries)
＜Corporate Category＞
・LC Wellness Co., Ltd.
"From Hamamatsu, the city with the longest healthy life expectancy in Japan! Delicious, Happy, Fun Communities: Initiatives and Promotion for Improving the Food Environment"
・Green House Co., Ltd.
"Preventing Lifestyle-Related Diseases and Serious Illnesses in Company Cafeterias Using 'Sumameshi, Asuken, and Your Health Support Team'"
・Fressta Co., Ltd.
"Aiming to be a Healthiest Supermarket: My 'Health Declaration' Challenge and Creating 'Health Management' with Colleagues"
・Yamato Group Health Insurance Association
"Smoking Cessation Initiatives Implemented by Three Parties: 'Company,' 'Labor Union,' and 'Health Insurance Association'"

＜Organization Category＞
・NPO JTRC (Jukunen Taiiku Daigaku Research Center)
"Disseminating Evidence-Based Strategies for Extending Healthy Life Expectancy as the 'Shinshu Model' to Municipalities, Organizations, Medical Institutions, and Private Companies Nationwide"
・Public University Corporation Meio University Health and Longevity Support Center
"The Radiance of 'Terushi'! Meio University 'Health and Longevity Project' - Health Support Involving Local Governments and Universities Aiming to Revitalize Remote Island Regions"
・Suita Municipal Hospital
・Suita Municipal Hospital World COPD Day Event "Lung Health Checkup" - Measure Your Lung Age (Sessions 1-5)
・Japan Anti-Smoking Promotion Federation of Physicians and Dentists
"Development and Dissemination of an Instructor Training Program for Smoking Cessation Treatment and Support Using e-Learning (J-STOP)"

<Municipal Government Category>
・Kato City (Hyogo Prefecture)
"Dreams Sparkle ☆ Vibrant Kato City ~ Kato Sunshine Challenge ~"
・Kaminoyama City (Yamagata Prefecture)
"Comprehensive Citizen Health Promotion Centered on Health Walking - As Part of the Kaminoyama-Style Spa Quell Project Utilizing Local Resources Such as the Natural Environment"
・Kitanagoya City (Aichi Prefecture)
"Activities at the Health Dome: A Bridge Connecting Citizens and Administration ~ Business Development Utilizing Health, Medical, and Welfare Data from Practical Sites ~"
・Soja City (Okayama Prefecture)
"Unleashing Citizen and Community Power with Health Incentives: The 'Sōja-Style' Approach"
・Minowa Town (Nagano Prefecture)
"Aiming for Minowa Town: Japan's Top Health-Promoting Community ~ Enhancing Community Strength Through Communication, Expanding the Circle of Health Promotion ~"
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【Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Director-General of the Health Insurance Bureau, Excellence Award】(2 entries)

・National Health Insurance Association, Oita Branch
"Collaborative Health Initiative with Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Employers): 'One Company, One Health Declaration' Project"
・Panasonic Health Insurance Association
"Workplace and Home Health Promotion Campaign 'Healthy Panasonic 2018'"

≪Preventive Care and Senior Life Support Category≫

【Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Grand Prize】(1 entry)
・Mutsumi Genki Support Team (Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture)
"Mutsumi Ai Service"

【Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award, Corporate Category, Excellence Award】(3 entries)
＜Corporate Category＞
・Nagaoka Medical Cooperative (Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture)
"Clinic Support-Based Community Care System"

＜Organization Category＞
・NPO Minna no Genki Juku (Seika Town, Sōraku District, Kyoto Prefecture)
"Genki Juku Salon"

＜Municipal Category＞
・Inabe City (Mie Prefecture)
"Genki Creation System"

【Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Director-General of the Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly, Excellence Award】(6 entries)
＜Corporate Category＞
・Hokuno Co., Ltd. (Sapporo City, Hokkaido)
"Hosting 'Community Corner Consultation Sessions'"
・Shizunai Care Center Co., Ltd. (Shinhidaka Town, Hidaka District, Hokkaido)
"Shizunai Care Center Welfare Village Concept"

＜Organization Category＞
・Specified Nonprofit Corporation Hidamari (Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture)
"Membership-Based Mutual Aid Activity 'Hidamari Club'"
・Mitsukane Old Times Storytelling Group (Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture)
"Mitsukane Old Tales Association"

＜Municipal Category＞
・Kochi City (Kochi Prefecture)
"Dementia Café (Eito Café)"
・Hokuto City (Yamanashi Prefecture)
"Day-Care Preventive Service (Fureai-dokoro Hokuto)"

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