Shinohara Foundation Publicly Releases Research Themes for "Productivity and Well-being Improvement" for Essential Workers on Website! Also Holds First Conference for Grant Recipients

The Yoshimi Shinohara Memorial Foundation (Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yoshimi Shinohara, hereinafter referred to as "Shinohara Foundation") is engaged in a research grant program to support advanced research that contributes to improving the working environment, enhancing well-being, and increasing productivity for essential workers (medical, nursing care, welfare, education, transportation, infrastructure, etc.) who support modern society.

The Shinohara Foundation has now publicly released all research themes of grant recipients from the first two periods of this grant program on its official website.

Concurrently, to foster networking among recipients and accelerate social implementation, the "1st Research Grant Recipients Conference" and a reception were held at Ritsumeikan University Tokyo Campus.

Research Theme Publication URL:

https://ysmf.box.com/s/hn7kqeq2xeg7el666740dxof0jtr0r2l

Scene from the "1st Research Grant Recipients Conference" where promising researchers from across the country gathered.

Background: Shinohara Foundation Tackles the Challenges of "Essential Workers"

In fields such as medical care, nursing care, education, and logistics, which form the backbone of Japan's social infrastructure, chronic labor shortages, excessive workloads, and resulting low productivity are serious issues. The Shinohara Foundation has been soliciting and granting funds for practical research aimed at simultaneously improving and balancing the "well-being (mental, physical, and social health)" and "productivity" of the people working in these fields.

The research themes from the two periods now publicly released tackle contemporary challenges head-on with innovative approaches, ranging from DX in the field using cutting-edge technologies like AI and XR to mental healthcare through psychoeducation and behavioral change approaches.

Report on the "1st Research Grant Recipients Conference" Filled with Enthusiasm

In parallel with the release of research themes, a face-to-face conference was held for the grant recipients to gather.

On the day, primarily the grant recipients for the 2025-2026 fiscal year (2nd period) participated, taking the first step towards building a strong network.

Recipients passionately present their research in a limited time of 90 seconds per person.

A "Slide Relay Presentation" with no time to spare, 90 seconds per person

The short presentation, which was the main program, adopted an extremely tight rule of "strictly 90 seconds (1 minute 30 seconds) per person." Researchers presented in a relay format, using condensed slides as batons.

Diverse themes from a practical perspective, such as "Predicting Health Troubles for Delivery Drivers Using AI," "Quantifying Physical Load in Operating Rooms and Nursing Care Settings," and "Mental Healthcare for Teachers and Specific Menopausal Symptoms in Women," were introduced one after another, filling the venue with overwhelming enthusiasm.

Furthermore, at this conference, researchers were categorized into four similar groups: "Transportation/Infrastructure," "Medical/Hospital DX," "Nursing Care/Welfare," and "Education/Mental Health," with recipients of similar themes seated closely together in front, behind, and to the sides.

This initiative led to immediate in-depth discussions during the icebreaker session within the program. The subsequent reception also saw exchanges that transcended periods and themes, with new seeds for collaborative research emerging across academic disciplines.

Full Launch of Online Community

The foundation has also fully launched a limited online community for grant recipients (LinkedIn group).

Moving forward, the foundation will continue to promote the construction of a robust ecosystem where recipients can connect long-term and strive for mutual improvement, not only through financial grants but also towards the social implementation of the research themes released today.

About the Yoshimi Shinohara Memorial Foundation

The Shinohara Foundation's mission is to "improve labor productivity and maximize well-being," and it is engaged in creating innovation and fostering human resources to solve social issues. To date, it has carried out multifaceted grant and support programs, including hosting the "Caretech Innovation Contest" to solve issues in nursing care and medical fields with technology, developing "Hata-Sapo! NEXT" to support skill development for the next generation, and providing scholarship programs for study abroad both domestically and internationally. Through this research grant program, the foundation will continue to nurture and support individuals tackling on-site challenges, contributing to the realization of a better society.

【Foundation Overview】

Name: Yoshimi Shinohara Memorial Foundation (Shinohara Foundation)

Representative Director: Yoshimi Shinohara

Established: February 2014

Head Office Location: Shinjuku El Tower 6F, 1-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Official URL: https://ysmf.or.jp/

Research Grant Program Details (Website): https://ysmf.or.jp/program/productivity_wellbeing/

【Contact Information】

For inquiries regarding this research grant program or requests for interviews from the press, please contact the Foundation Secretariat (inquiry contact on the official website).