Japan Survey Finds Health Checkup Red Flags Often Ignored
Health
Apr 27, 2026
A survey of people taking health checkups in Japan found that some do not bother to read the details about issues that are identified or follow up with further examinations or treatment.
Some Skip Reading the Details
Ubie, a Tokyo-based provider of tech-based healthcare services, conducted a survey of 1,378 people who have undergone a health checkup in recent years. The results show that only 32% (446 people) received all “A ratings” (no issues), while 41% (564 people) and 27% (368), respectively, received either a “B rating” (minor issues requiring observation) or a “C-to-D rating” (reexamination or treatment required).
Less than half of the respondents, or 614 people, said that they reviewed and understood the checkup results for each item. Meanwhile, 482 people said they reviewed the results but did not understand everything, and 282 people (roughly 20%) said they did not even check the details.
The most common reason for not sufficiently reviewing the results was having “no noticeable symptoms” of a health problem (107 people), followed by those who said they “usually have no problem every year” (84 people) or that “it’s too much hassle” (66 people). If people end up judging their own health on the basis of whether they feel they have a symptom or not, there is little point undergoing a health checkup, which is intended to enable early detection and early treatment of health problems.
Among the 368 people who received a C or D rating, only 207 actually visited a medical facility after receiving the checkup results, while the remaining 161 did not take any action. Reasons mentioned for not visiting a facility included “not being able to judge how serious the problem is,” “not having time,” and “not knowing the level of urgency.”
There is a significant gap between undergoing a health check and actually making use of the results, which demonstrates that the results are often being ignored.
The survey was conducted on March 10, 2026, targeting 1,000 men and 1,000 women nationwide aged 20 and older. The results were compiled from respondents who had undergone a health checkup within the past few years.
Data Sources
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)