Fukuoka, Japan —Kyushu University and Cipher Core, a Japanese information security company providing security and financial technology solutions, have signed a joint-research agreement and begun preparations for a preventive healthcare pilot in Bangladesh under the Healthy Bangladesh initiative. By combining mobile community health screening, AI-powered digital health tools, telemedicine, and lifelong electronic health records (EHRs), the initiative aims to help shift healthcare from treating illness to preventing it.
The project was showcased at the Japan External Trade Organization’s (JETRO) economic forum in Tokyo on October 28, 2026, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The presentation highlighted opportunities for Japan–Bangladesh cooperation in healthcare.
At the heart of the proposed pilot is a portable health clinic system to bring health screening and access to remote medical consultations closer to communities. It builds on 17 years of multidisciplinary research at Kyushu University into digital approaches to preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases and supporting maternal and child health. This work has brought together researchers and healthcare professionals from Kyushu University’s Faculty of Information Science and Electrical Engineering (ISEE) , Faculty of Medical Sciences , Institute for Asian and Oceanian Studies (Q-AOS) , Data-Driven Innovation Initiative (DDIn 2 ) , and other university units.
Representatives from Kyushu University, Cipher Core, and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) have held approximately five meetings in Dhaka and Tokyo to prepare for the pilot.
The project team explained the preventive-care concept, presented the proposed delivery plan, and demonstrated the portable health clinic system at the ministry’s request. These activities helped clarify the proposed approach and implementation requirements.
A formal tripartite agreement involving MoHFW remains under preparation. Pilot implementation will depend on completion of the necessary agreements, applicable approvals, and site preparations.
Kyushu University and Cipher Core will continue discussions with MoHFW and engage Japanese medical device manufacturers that have expressed interest in collaboration. The partners aim to clarify implementation arrangements and explore opportunities to apply Japanese healthcare technologies in Bangladesh. Through this initiative, the partners seek to establish a practical foundation for sustained Japan–Bangladesh cooperation in preventive healthcare.
“Through years of multidisciplinary research and pilot projects in 10 countries, we have combined advanced technology with an understanding of local culture to design a robust preventive care system. This collaboration offers an opportunity to bring that approach closer to communities in Bangladesh, with plans to extend it to other Asian and African countries,” says Dr. Ashir Ahmed , Associate Professor at Kyushu University’s Faculty of Information Science and Electrical Engineering .
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About Kyushu University
Founded in 1911, Kyushu University is one of Japan's leading research-oriented institutions of higher education, consistently ranking as one of the top ten Japanese universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World University Rankings. Located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu—the most southwestern of Japan’s four main islands—Kyushu U sits in a coastal metropolis frequently ranked among the world’s most livable cities and historically known as Japan’s gateway to Asia. Its multiple campuses are home to around 19,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff. Through its VISION 2030 , Kyushu U will “drive social change with integrative knowledge.” By fusing the spectrum of knowledge, from the humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences, Kyushu U will strengthen its research in the key areas of decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food, to tackle society’s most pressing issues.
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