Kyoto City and AstraZeneca Sign Collaboration Agreement for Enhancing Citizens' Health

Kyoto City (Mayor: Takaharu Matsui) and AstraZeneca K.K. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; President and Representative Director: Andrew Burnett; hereinafter 'AstraZeneca') today signed the 'Collaboration Agreement for Enhancing the Health of Kyoto Citizens'. Under this agreement, both parties will advance initiatives to contribute to the health of Kyoto citizens through the prevention of non-communicable diseases (hereinafter 'NCDs'), including cancer, and the promotion of early detection and early treatment, in alignment with Kyoto City's vision of becoming a 'Healthy Longevity City, Kyoto'.

(From left: Kyoto City Deputy Mayor Yoshihito Yoshida, AstraZeneca K.K. Medical Division Head Norio Tanaka)

In Japan, due to the progression of an aging society, the number of patients and deaths from NCDs has been increasing annually, accounting for approximately 85% of total deaths (1). The national health promotion initiative 'Healthy Japan 21 (Third Phase)', based on fundamental policies for advancing public health, also highlights the rising number of NCD patients, stating that 'countermeasures remain a critical challenge for extending the healthy life expectancy of the population' (2).

According to Kyoto City's 'Statistics on Causes of Death in Kyoto City' for Reiwa 6, published in 2025, 'malignant neoplasms (cancer)' accounted for 25.3% of deaths—the highest proportion—followed by 'heart diseases' at 15.9%, 'pneumonia and respiratory diseases' at 12.3%, and 'cerebrovascular diseases' at 6.0%, indicating that NCD-related diseases constitute the majority of deaths (3).

In this context, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Fourth Phase Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control' sets a target to increase overall cancer screening participation rates from 50% to 60%. Kyoto City has also set the same goal in its 'Kyoto City Plan for Promoting Healthy Longevity, Oral Health, and Food Education' (4) and is actively working to improve screening rates.

Furthermore, the Kyoto City edition of the 'Reiwa 5 Fiscal Year Report on the Healthy Longevity and Data Health Promotion Project' reports that the 'Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR)', a metric used to compare mortality across populations with different age structures, shows high rates of lung cancer and heart failure among both men and women (5). This underscores the need for comprehensive measures addressing not only cancer but also conditions like heart failure.

In response to this situation, Kyoto City and AstraZeneca have now signed this collaboration agreement to jointly advance public health initiatives. Moving forward, the two parties will comprehensively implement measures such as stakeholder collaboration, creating an environment conducive to health promotion leveraging Kyoto City's strengths, disease awareness campaigns aimed at preventing the onset and progression of NCDs, and promoting participation in health check-ups for cancer screening and lifestyle disease prevention, with the goal of extending the healthy life expectancy of Kyoto citizens.

Regarding the signing of this agreement, Kyoto City Mayor Takaharu Matsui stated: 'In Kyoto City, we aim to realize a “Healthy Longevity City, Kyoto” by promoting citizen health and extending healthy life expectancy through collaboration with various companies and organizations. In this effort, countermeasures against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer and heart disease, are extremely important. It is highly encouraging that we can now partner with AstraZeneca K.K., which possesses advanced expertise and know-how in this field. Through this agreement, we will deepen collaboration with diverse stakeholders and work toward creating a city of well-being where everyone feels happy, connected, supported, and able to live with purpose.'

Andrew Burnett, President and Representative Director of AstraZeneca K.K., stated: 'The disease areas we focus on closely align with the medical challenges faced by Kyoto City. Through this agreement, we aim to leverage the scientific and operational expertise we have cultivated as a pharmaceutical company and act as a hub to strengthen collaboration with municipalities, medical associations, and other stakeholders, contributing to the extension of healthy life expectancy for Kyoto citizens. Additionally, by collaborating with Kyoto City, we aim to generate evidence through medical data analytics—including health economic evaluation—and ultimately drive healthcare transformation starting from Kyoto City.'

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About Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines NCDs as a collective term for chronic diseases—including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions—caused by factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and air pollution (6). In 2021, over 43 million people worldwide died from NCDs (6). The primary causes of these diseases are unhealthy lifestyles, and interventions promoting lifestyle improvements are widely advocated. The treatment costs associated with NCDs significantly impact both household budgets and national healthcare expenditures. As NCDs are projected to continue increasing, global-scale countermeasures are urgently needed.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a science-led global biopharmaceutical company engaged in the research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of prescription medicines, primarily in the BioPharmaceuticals areas of oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, and respiratory and immunology. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, the company’s innovative medicines are available in over 125 countries and are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information, visit https://www.astrazeneca.com/ or follow @AstraZeneca on social media.

In Japan, AstraZeneca focuses on oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, respiratory and immunology, and vaccines and immunotherapies, striving to further contribute to patient health and medical advancement. For more information about AstraZeneca K.K., visit https://www.astrazeneca.co.jp/. Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.