About us

The International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals & Health Services (HPH) is a global network of healthcare organizations initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988 to advance health promotion. Today, the network includes approximately 600 member institutions across 30 countries.

The Japan Network of Health Promoting Hospitals & Health Services (J-HPH) was established in October 2015 as a national and regional network of the International HPH Network. Japan has a long history of health promotion initiatives in which healthcare organizations have reached beyond hospital walls to work with communities to improve population health. There are also many examples of healthcare organizations supporting patients who face financial barriers to accessing healthcare by connecting them with available social resources. Building on these experiences, J-HPH was established by healthcare organizations committed to health promotion, with the aim of improving the health of patients, healthcare workers, and local communities, promoting healthy communities, and contributing to a society based on well-being, fairness, and equity.

Since its establishment, J-HPH has promoted learning and the exchange of good practices through annual J-HPH conferences, webinars, and newsletters. One of our major areas of focus has been the social determinants of health (SDH). To promote action on SDH in healthcare settings, we developed and disseminated practical resources, including an “Economic Support Tool for Health and Long-Term Care Professionals” and a collection of case studies.

We have also placed great importance on sharing and scaling up innovative practices across our network. Our conferences have addressed topics such as “Easy Japanese” for better communication with people who are not fluent in Japanese, LGBTQ+ people and healthcare, and community assessment from a health promotion perspective. Lessons and practices from these sessions have subsequently been shared among member organizations throughout Japan. We have also consistently emphasized that peace is a prerequisite for health promotion and have continued to address peace as an important theme in our activities.

In 2024, as J-HPH approached its tenth anniversary, we hosted the 30th International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services in Hiroshima under the theme “The Contibution of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services to Health Equity.” The conference brought together approximately 800 participants from 34 countries and regions and was a major milestone for our network.

J-HPH has also actively promoted international exchange and collaboration. As Japan has the world’s most aged population, our experience in health promotion for older people provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in other countries. At International HPH Conferences, Japanese presentations on community outreach, prevention of social isolation among older people, and related initiatives have been highly regarded.

We have also strengthened collaboration with family physicians and researchers in Canada working on the social determinants of health. In February 2026, we visited Toronto, Canada, to learn about Health-Justice Partnerships (HJP). We hope to promote HJP in Japan as a new approach to addressing health inequities by linking healthcare with legal and social support.

In 2025, WHO published the World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity. Against the backdrop of widening health inequities around the world, this policy report emphasizes that achieving health equity requires not only improvements in healthcare but also transformation of the social structures that shape health. Another important feature of the report is its recognition of peace as a “fundamental determinant of health equity.” J-HPH’s longstanding efforts to address the social determinants of health, work in partnership with communities, and promote peace as an essential foundation for health are closely aligned with this evolving global direction.

Japan is facing the dual challenges of a rapidly ageing society and widening health inequities. In this context, healthcare organizations are expected not only to provide treatment but also to work with communities to create the conditions in which everyone can live a healthy life.

J-HPH will continue to serve as a network where healthcare organizations can learn from one another, develop practical approaches to health promotion, and share their experiences both nationally and internationally.

We warmly invite healthcare and health service organizations throughout Japan to join J-HPH. Together, we can work toward a healthier society in which well-being, equality, and equity are realized for all.

Update : 21 AUG. 2026