Join Wins METI Minister’s Award at the 8th Japan Medical Research and Development Awards
Receiving the certificate of commendation and commemorative plaque from the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Allm Inc. (Headquarters in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Takaaki Otani), a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd., announced that its healthcare professional communication app “Join” has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Award at the 8th Japan Medical Research and Development Awards, together with Associate Professor Hiroyuki Takao of The Jikei University School of Medicine.
The award ceremony was held on January 16, 2026, at the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan, where the certificate of commendation and commemorative plaque were presented by Mr. Toshiro Ino, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The Japan Medical Research and Development Awards were established to recognize outstanding initiatives that have made significant contributions to the advancement of medical research and development, with the aim of enhancing public awareness and understanding. Among these honors, the METI Minister’s Award is presented to initiatives that demonstrate particularly distinguished achievements from the perspectives of economic and industrial development.
In the field of stroke care, where every second matters, Join utilizes smartphones to enable rapid communication among medical professionals, significantly reducing the time required to initiate treatment. This has contributed to improved survival rates and a reduction in long-term complications.
The award committee recognized Join for opening a new chapter in medical digital transformation (DX) by enabling software itself to function as a regulated medical device supporting diagnosis and treatment. In addition, Join was highly evaluated as a Japan-born innovation that has been adopted in more than 30 countries, serving as medical infrastructure tailored to diverse healthcare systems worldwide.
From right: Associate Professor Hiroyuki Takao, The Jikei University School of Medicine; Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi; Sugawara, Director, Vice President, COO and CTO of Allm; and Otani, President and CEO of Allm.
At the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan, where the award ceremony was held.
Associate Professor Hiroyuki Takao of The Jikei University School of Medicine has been a central member of the team supporting the development of Join from a clinical perspective. Allm Inc. would like to express its sincere gratitude to The Jikei University School of Medicine for its continued collaboration. Encouraged by this prestigious recognition, Allm Inc. will continue to deliver innovative medical ICT solutions and promote medical DX—optimizing and improving physicians’ working environments while striving to realize equitable access to quality healthcare for all.
About Join
Join is an application developed and provided by Allm Inc. that enables healthcare professionals to communicate in a highly secure environment. With its standard-equipped DICOM viewer, medical images can be viewed and shared in chats, making Join an effective consultation tool for doctors who are out of the hospital during nights and holidays. It is also used for inter-hospital collaboration and information sharing when transferring emergency patients. Join is the first program medical device to be covered by insurance in Japan and has obtained medical device certifications in Japan, the United States (FDA), Europe (CE), Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and other countries.
About Allm Inc.
Allm Inc. is a Japan-based company providing ICT mobile solutions, helping to eliminate disparities and inefficiencies in healthcare, while increasing the access to quality care and wellbeing for all. Allm is actively engaged in global expansion of its medical ICT business, which includes “Join,” a communication app for medical professionals, and provides solutions to over 30 countries.
Contact Information
Global Business Development Department
Email: info.allm.global@gmail.com
The information in the press release is current as of the date of the announcement. Please note that the specifications, service contents, and contact information are subject to change without notice.