In a significant development within Japan's healthcare landscape, Integrity Co., a company headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, has partnered with Mitsushige Yamanaka, the director of the Shirohige Family Medical Corporation, to establish a joint venture named 'Ashita no Komorebi'. This collaboration aims to transform the challenges faced in end-of-life care by implementing an innovative home healthcare model.
Background and Purpose of the Joint Venture
Japan is facing an aging population crisis, with many individuals expressing the desire to spend their final days at home. However, approximately 20-30% of patients are currently able to do so, due to the inadequate support provided within the existing home healthcare system. There is a significant shortage of medical facilities available to offer 24/7 care for severely ill patients, leading to situations where many individuals cannot receive their preferred end-of-life care at home and are instead forced into emergency care situations.
To address these urgent issues, the Shirohige Family Medical Corporation has pioneered the 'Edogawa Shirohige Model', which emphasizes personalized care until the end of life. By combining their expertise with Integrity's extensive knowledge in business growth and expansion, the joint venture aims to replicate this successful model across Japan. The ultimate goal is to ensure that more patients can receive care in the comfort of their own homes during their final days, free from the constraints of inadequate medical systems.
Features and Achievements of the Edogawa Shirohige Model
Mitsushige Yamanaka has established a home medical clinic in Edogawa, Tokyo, known as the 'Shirohige Home Medical Clinic'. This facility has developed a unique home healthcare model that provides comprehensive support to patients, ensuring that their end-of-life wishes are honored. The main features of this model include:
- - Over 80% Mortality Rate at Home: Through a robust support system allowing patients to remain at home until the end of their lives, the clinic boasts a remarkable record of home care.
- - 24/7 Availability: The clinic offers emergency home visits for severely ill patients, providing care around the clock, regardless of the time or day.
- - All Staff are Full-Time Employees: The clinic employs a full-time team of doctors, nurses, drivers, and administrative staff, promoting an integrated approach to team-based healthcare.
Thanks to these methodologies, the Shirohige Home Medical Clinic successfully cares for approximately 250 patients at home each year, building a strong reputation within the community as a trusted provider of home healthcare. This high level of care and achievement is generating considerable interest as a model for home healthcare.
Overview of the Joint Venture
- - Company Name: Ashita no Komorebi Co., Ltd.
- - Location: Edogawa, Tokyo
- - Established: April 24, 2025
- - Management Team: CEO Tomofumi Nishiyama, Director Mitsushige Yamanaka
- - Business Focus: Support for home healthcare operations.
Insights from Leadership
Tomofumi Nishiyama, CEO of Integrity, emphasizes the pressing need for systemic fixes within the current home healthcare framework, including the lack of 24/7 care capabilities. He highlights his admiration for Dr. Yamanaka's work in establishing the ideal model of home healthcare, and through this joint venture, they aim to expand this initiative nationwide. Nishiyama expresses a commitment to creating a society in which patients can confidently receive care at home during their final days.
Mitsushige Yamanaka also shares his deep-rooted commitment to ensuring that patients are able to remain in their familiar home environments as they approach the end of life. He notes that this joint venture represents a vital step in making the 'Edogawa Shirohige Model' accessible beyond the local area, bringing this compassionate approach to communities throughout Japan.
About Mitsushige Yamanaka
Yamanaka serves as the director and chief physician of the Shirohige Home Medical Clinic. He graduated from Keio University with a law degree, followed by medical training at Gunma University. His career includes significant experience with an AIDS prevention project in Kenya and two terms as the mayor of Matsuzaka City, where he was the youngest mayor in Japan at that time. Since 2018, Yamanaka has been devoted to providing home medical care, attending to over 1,500 terminally ill patients and ensuring around 250 people receive care until the end of their lives each year.
About Integrity Co.
- - Company Name: Integrity Co., Ltd.
- - Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo
- - Established: August 8, 2022
- - CEO: Tomofumi Nishiyama.
- - Business Focus: Investment and consulting services, aimed at creating impactful businesses within society.
Integrity aims to contribute to society by developing 100 businesses that serve the community through its work as a 'working investor.' Their team comprises experienced professionals skilled in business development, strategic consulting, and management, committed to delivering practical support with high impact outcomes.