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Karen Feinstein Joins U.S.-Japan Dialogue on Healthcare Innovation and Aging

Type: News

Focus Area: Aging

From left to right are panelists: Kay Shimizu, Kunihiro Nishimura, Karen Feinstein, and Masashi Kiyomine.

On January 15, leaders from health care, technology, and public policy gathered in downtown Pittsburgh for “Healthcare Innovations from Japan to Pittsburgh,” a timely conversation exploring how Japan’s approach to aging societies offers lessons for communities across the United States.

Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) President and CEO Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD joined the panel to share insights from Japan’s ambitious Society 5.0 vision, a Human-Centered Smart Society that integrates advanced technology with social systems to improve quality of life across generations. Japan is widely recognized as a global leader in designing healthcare policy and innovation for an aging population, from care-support robotics to AI-driven genomic medicine.

Her participation builds on JHF’s 2024 study tour of Japan, which she led alongside leaders from the Pittsburgh region to examine how Japanese healthcare systems, communities, and innovators are responding to demographic change. Lessons from that tour continue to inform the Foundation’s work in patient safety, aging care, workforce development, and community-based innovation, including JHF’s vision for a Longevity Hub.

In addition to Dr. Feinstein, speakers included Dr. Kunihiro Nishimura, CEO and Founder of Xcoo, Inc., a leader in AI-powered genomic medicine; Dr. Kay Shimizu, research professor at the University of Pittsburgh and visiting scholar at Hosei University; and Masashi Kiyomine, managing partner at Kicker Ventures.

The discussion highlighted emerging connections between Pittsburgh’s innovation ecosystem and Japan’s health sector, underscoring the potential of U.S.–Japan collaboration to strengthen care delivery, support the healthcare workforce, and foster inclusive, people-centered solutions. Panelists also emphasized that designing systems for aging societies ultimately benefits people of all ages, creating more resilient, compassionate communities.

The event was presented by the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and Global Links and was part of the Japan Currents series supported by the National Association of Japan-America Societies and the Embassy of Japan.

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