(Last Update: Oct 2024)
Vita: Watanabe_CV .pdf (Ver Sep 2025)
Research Fellow
Department of Public Policy
Institute of Medical Science
University of Tokyo
Office: 4-6-1 Shirokane-dai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639 Japan
E-mail: saoriwatanabe@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
AREAS OF INTEREST
Medical Sociology, Qualitative Research, Mixed Method
Rare Diseases, ELSI, Health Policy, Patient Involvement
Education
2015 - 2018 Ph.D., Meiji Gakuin University, in Sociology
2013 - 2015 M.A., Meiji Gakuin University, in Sociology
2008 - 2011 Master's Course, Sophia University, in Area Studies
2004 - 2008 B.A., Sophia University, in Area Studies
Employment
2018 - Present Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (PD), The University of Tokyo
2015-2018 Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (DC1), Meiji Gakuin University
Awards
2018 8th JSPS Ikushi Prize, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
2012 5th Watakushi Tsumari Nobody (Akiko Ikeda) Prize, Watakushi, Tsumari Nobody Prize
Publications
Peer-reviewed Articles
Adachi, Takeya, Saori Watanabe, Yu Kuwabara, Yuki Abe, Masaki Futamura, Takenori Inomata, Keima Ito, Meiko Kimura, Keiko Kan-o, Hanako Koguchi-Yoshioka, Yosuke Kurashima, Katsunori Masaki, Mayumi Matsunaga, Haruka Miki, Saeko Nakajima, Yuumi Nakamura, Yasushi Ogawa, Aiko Oka, Masafumi Sakashita, Sakura Sato, Kyohei Takahashi, Masato Tamari, Takeshi Tsuda, Satoru Yonekura, Mayumi Tamari, Kaori Muto and Hideaki Morita. 2025. "Exploring Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement in Allergy Research: Cross-Disease and Cross-Stakeholder Perspectives in Japan." Allergy 0:1-4. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.70064.
Kiya, Yukitaka, Saori Watanabe, Kana Harada, Hideki Yui, Yoshimi Yashiro and Kaori Muto. 2024. "Attitudes of Patients with Ivf/Icsi toward Human Embryo In vitro Culture Beyond 14 Days." Regenerative Therapy 26:831-36. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reth.2024.09.005.
Yui, Hideki, Yoshimi Yashiro, Kaori Muto, Saori Watanabe, Yukitaka Kiya, Yusuke Inoue and Zentaro Yamagata. 2024. "Opinions on Research Involving Human Embryo Models by Researchers and the General Public." Regenerative Therapy 26:9-13. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reth.2024.05.001.
Haruka Nakada, Saori Watanabe, Kyoko Takashima, Shohei Suzuki, Yuki Kawamura, Yutori Takai. Kenji Matsui, Keiichiro Yamamoto. 2023. "General public’s understanding of rare diseases and their opinions on medical resource allocation in Japan: A cross-sectional study." Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 18(143): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-023-02762-x
2016 Saori Watanabe. "The Formative History of Policy for Rare Diseases in Post-War Japan." Japanese Journal of Research on Household Economics (Kikan Kakei Keizai Kenkyu). 110: 66-74.
Dissertation
2018 Saori Watanabe. A Study on Rare Diseases Policy in Japan: Public Expenditure Medical Care by Diseases-Category-Based Model. Meiji Gakuin University. Ph.D. thesis.
2015 Saori Watanabe. Nanbyo in post-war Japan: the formulation of medical policy for rare diseases. Meiji Gakuin University. Master's thesis.
Articles
2023 Saori Watanabe. "Postwar National Sanatoriums, National Hospitals, and Rare Diseases: Transition from Tuberculosis Sanatoriums to Beds for Rare Diseases." The Japanese Journal of Health and Medical Sociology. 34(1): 25-33.
2022 Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, Izen Ri. "ELSI and PPI Initiatives and Challenges in Japan's Whole Genome Project." Clinical Neuroscience. 40(9): 1161-1165.
2022 Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, Yoshimi Yashiro. "ELSI in Rare Diseases and Regenerative Medicine: A Review of the ISSCR Guidelines." Regenerative Medicine. 21(1): 52-59.
2019 Saori Watanabe and Michihito Ando. “Rare Disease Policy Reform and Patient Cost-Sharing : An Examination of the 2013 Policy-Making Process.” Rikkyo economic review. 73(1): 59-68.
2017 Saori Watanabe. "New Exclusion and Inclusion for Rare Diseases: Genetic Citizenship and Patient Participation." revue de la pensee d'aujourd'hui(Gendai Shiisou). 45(8): 2-5.
2014 Saori Watanabe. "Rare Disease Policy and Medical Researchers: How did they exist in Japanese Medicine." revue de la pensee d'aujourd'hui(Gendai Shiisou). 42(13): 32-36.
2014 Saori Watanabe. "Issues for Historical Research of Rare Disease Policy in Japan." Bulletin of Department of Sociology, Meiji Gakuin University. 37: 31-37.
Reports
2021 Yukiko Nishimura, Shun Emoto, Saori Watanabe, Shin Sato, Fumi Okishio. Report of Oral History Project for Leaders of Patient Organization of Rare Diseases in Japan: Tateo Ito. ASrid.
2019 Yukiko Nishimura, Shun Emoto, Saori Watanabe, Shin Sato, Fumi Okishio. Report of Oral History Project for Leaders of Patient Organization of Rare Diseases in Japan: Nobuyuki Kobayashi. ASrid.
Books
2023 Saori Watanabe. Rare diseases policy in Japan: The historical formation of public care system. Tokyo: The University of Tokyo Press.
2016 Onoue, Koji, et al. Connecting the Baton of the Disability Rights Movement: for living in the community. Tokyo: Seikatsu Shoin.
2013 Saori Watanabe. "Rare Diseases and Social Policy." in Meaning of living and meaning of dying: End-of-life medical care and life as seen from Rare Disease, edited by Shogo Asami. Tokyo: Sophia University Press. Ch 2.
Book Reviews
2018 "Sagamihara disabled person killing case: Eugenic thought and hate crime by Shinya Tateiwa and Shunsuke Sugita, Seikatsu Shoin." The Japanese Journal of Health and Medical Sociology. 28(2) 93-94.
Op-Eds and Essays
2017 Hiroshi Ishiguro and Saori Watanabe. "Technological Innovation and Human Future." Sekai Shisou. 44: 2-14.
Translations（ENG→JP）
Grants
2021.4 – 2023.3 AMED, Grant Number JP21bm0904002, “Ethical consultation on regenerative medicine research and its application.” PI: Kaori Muto.
2020.10 – 2023.3 AMED, Grant Number JP20ek0109494, “Study on Ethical, Legal and Social Issues of Rare/Intractable Diseases.” PI: Keiichiro Yamamoto.
2020.4 – 2022.3 Health Labour Sciences Research Grant, Grant Number 20DA2003, “Research on the Construction of a System for the Provision of Prenatal Diagnosis.” PI. Ikuo Konishi.
2020.10 – 2022.9 Mitsubishi Foundation, “An Historical Study for Rare Disease Hospital Beds in Post-War Japan.” PI: Saori Watanabe. ¥ 2,200,000.
2019.4 – 2022.3 KAKEN, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Early-Career Scientists), “A Study for Constructing the Patient-Centered Research based on Genetic Citizenship.” PI: Saori Watanabe.
2017.4 - 2022.3 KAKEN, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), “Economics for Diversity.” PI: Akihiko Matsui.
2018.4 - 2021.3 KAKEN, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (JSPS Fellows, PD), “An Empirical Study of the Public Health Care System for Rare Diseases in Japan: Development of the “Disease-Category-Based Model” and Its International Comparison.” PI: Saori Watanabe.
2017.10 - 2019.9 SECOM Foundation, ELSI Research Program, “Patient Involvement with Rare Disease Research based on Genetic Citizenship.” PI: Saori Watanabe.
2015.4 - 2018.3 KAKEN, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (JSPS Fellows, DC1), “Medical sociological research on formation and transformation of Rare Disease (Nanbyo) measures in postwar Japan.” PI: Saori Watanabe.
2012.4 - 2017.3 KAKEN, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S), “Theoretical and Empirical Economic Analysis of Social Barriers.” PI: Akihiko Matsui.
2014.4 - 2015.3 The Institite for Research on Household Economics, Research Grant, “Rare Disease Policy in postwar Japan.” PI: Saori Watanabe.
Fellowships
2018.4-2021.3 Postdoctoral Fellowship of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (PD), JSPS / The University of Tokyo
2015.4-2018.3 Research Fellowship of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (DC1), JSPS / Meiji Gakuin University
Teaching
2019 - Present “Sociology,” lecture of Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo University of Science
2019 -Present "Bioethics of rare diseases," lecture of Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University
2021 - 2022 “Method of Sociological Research,” lecture of Faculty of Sociology, Meiji Gakuin University
2020 - 2021 “Method of Qualitative Research,” lecture of Graduate School of Sociology, Meiji Gakuin University
2020 “Sociology of Health,” lecture of Faculty of Sociology, Meiji Gakuin University
2014 “Reconstruction of life security,” lecture of Faculty of Economics, Keio University
2012, 2013 “Meaning of Life and Death,” lecture of community college, Sophia University
Professional Activities
Reviewer
The Japanese Journal of Health and Medical Sociology - The Japanese Society of Health and Medical Sociology
Journal of Disability Studies – Japan Society for Disability Studies
Member
International: American Sociological Association, American Anthropological Association, International Sociological Association
Japanese: Japanese Sociological Association, The Japanese Society of Health and Medical Sociology, The Japan Society of Human Genetics, The Japanese Association for Social Research
Committee member
2019 - Present Research Ethics Committee on Regenerative Medicine, Keio University
2019 - Present Research Ethics Committee on Medicine, Kanagawa University of Human Services
2016 - Present Evaluation Committee of the Japan Patient Association
2019 - 2020 Council of Disability Welfare, Minato City, Tokyo
2018 - 2019 Research Ethics Committee of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine
2017 Field Inspection Committee for ethics guidelines for human genome and gene analysis research, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo
2012 - 2013 National Committee of Disability Act of 2013, Cabinet Office
Press Coverage
2019 Heart Net TV, NHK Broadcast
2018 Oikonomia, NHK Broadcast
2015 Heart Net TV, NHK Broadcast
Languages
Japanese, English, French
Presentations
International (English)
2024.10, Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, Izen Ri, "Practice of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in the Action: Plan for Whole Genome Analysis of Rare and Intractable Diseases." The 69th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Human Genetics. Hirosaki, Oct 11.
2022.6, Hideki Yui, Kaori Muto, Yoshimi Yashiro, Saori Watanabe, Zentaro Yamagata, "Survey of the attitudes of the general public and patients in Japan toward research involving the culture of human embryos beyond 14 days." ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) 2022 Annual Meeting, Online, June 15.
2022.6, Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, “Patient and Public Involvement/Engagement (PPI/E) and Benefit Sharing in Stem Cell Research: A Survey of Patients in Japan.” ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) 2022 Annual Meeting, Online, June 15.
2022.6, Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, Yuki Kawamura, Kyoko Takashima, "Challenges for the ELSI in rare disease research: a qualitative study of Japanese stakeholders." European Human Genetics Conference 2022, Vienna, Austria, June 11.
2021.6, Saori Watanabe, Kaori Muto, ETHICAL DISCUSSION ON PATIENT COOPERATION IN STEMCELL CLINICAL RESEARCH IN JAPAN: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS ON PATIENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR RARE DISEASE.” ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) 2021 Annual Meeting, Online, June 25.
2019.11, "Rare Disease's Patient-Centered Research based on Genetic Citizenship: A Survey on Medical Researcher and Patient's Organization in Japan and the US." 2019 Annual Meeting of American Anthropological Association, Vancouver, Canada, Nov 21.
2019.9, "Patient involvement for rare disease research based on the Genetic Citizenship." Young Scholars with Alice Wexler Event, Department of the Public Policy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Sep 26.
2019.5, "Participation in Research based on Genetic Citizenship: A Survey on Rare Disease Organizations and Researchers in the United States." UTEC Young Researchers' Challenge Support Program Debriefing & Recruitment Sessions, Tokyo, Japan, May 20.
2019.3, “Expanding Patient-Centered Research: A Survey for Clinical Researchers and Patients with Rare Diseases.” The Inaugural Congress of the East Asian Sociological Association, Tokyo, Japan, March 8.
2018.7, "Genetic Citizenship in Rare Diseases Policy: Patient’s Participation for Genomic Science Research." The XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology, Toronto, Canada, July 16.
2017.9, "Three Types of Medical Care for Rare Diseases: A Historical Analysis of Disease-Category-Based Model in Japan." The British Sociological Association Medical Sociology 49th Annual Conference, York, England, Sep14.
2016.9, "The Creation of Rare Diseases in Japan: Medical professions and their influence on social policy." The 8th Meeting of the Asian Society for the History of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Sep 30.
Japanese
2021. 11, Saori Watanabe, Motoyuki Goto, Yoko Matsubara, "Patient Involvement and Patient Advisory Boards in the Conception of Medical and Healthcare Archives." Japan Association for Bioethics 33rd Annual Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 28.
2021. 11, Saori Watanabe, Keiichiro Yamamoto, Kenji Matsui, Yuki Kawamura, Shohei Suzuki, Yutori Takai, "An Exploratory Qualitative Study of ELSI in Rare Diseases." Japan Association for Bioethics 33rd Annual Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 27.
2020.9, “Case Studies of Patient-Centered Research in Japan and US.” The 46th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Health and Medical Sociology, Osaka, Japan, Sep 5.
2019.9, “An analysis of the awareness survey on patient participation in medical research based on Genetic Citizenship in Japan.” The 65th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Human Genetics, Nagasaki, Japan, Nov 8.
2018.9, “Medical Research Participation and Genetic Citizenship: A Case Study of Patient-Centered Biobank Registries in Japan and the United States.”The 91st Annual Meeting of Japan Sociological Association, Tokyo, Japan, Sep 15.
2018.5, “A Study on Rare Diseases Policy in Japan: Public Expenditure Medical Care by Disease-Category-Based Model.” The 136th Annual Meeting of Japan Association for Social Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan, May 25.
2017.11, "Patient's participation in Rare Diseases research based on Genetic Citizenship in US and Japan." REASE Seminar, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 25.
2017.11, "A Historical Analysis of Disease-Category-Based Model's expansion period in rare disease policy." The 90th Annual Meeting of the Japan Sociological Association, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 4.
2017.6, "Inclusion/Exclusion on Rare Diseases: the boundary between medicine research participation and genetic-citizenship." The 65th Annual Meeting of the Kanto Sociological Association, Tokyo, Japan, June 3.
2017.2 "Modern Medicine for Rare Diseases and its Sociological Issues." The Workshop for Healthcare for New Frontier (HCNF), Tokyo, Japan, Feb 9.
2016.11, "Three Types of medicine for Rare Diseases: Diseases-Category-Based Model." The 105th Forum of the Social Policy Studies Network, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 26.
2016.6, "Disease-Category-Based Model of Rare Diseases Policy: A cross-national comparison." Japan Association for Social Policy Studies (JASPS) 132nd Conference, Tokyo, Japan, June 26.
2016.4, "Rare Diseases and Genetic Citizenship." The 13th International Congress of Human Genetics, Kyoto, Japan, April 3 (Invited)
2016.1, "The impact of onset of rare diseases on income, consumption, and medical expenses: A quantitative case study." Workshop on the Study Group for the Research on rare and intractable diseases, by Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants, Tokyo, Japan, January 9. (with Michihito Ando)
2015.9, “The Disease-Category-Based Model under the regime of Principles of Countermeasures for Rare Diseases.” The 88th Annual Meeting of the Japan Sociological Society, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, September 20.
2015.5, "The medical care by Public expenses under the Regime of the Principle of Policy for Rare Diseases: A historical analysis of the role of medical researchers." The 41st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Health and Medical Sociology, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan, May 17.
2014.3, "Reconsidering the medical model of disability." Seminar of the Research on Economy And Social Inclusion, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, March 8.
2013.9, "Where is the agent of Self-Sovereignty?" The 10th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association of Qualitative Psychology, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan, September 1 (Invited)
2013.6, "Rare Diseases and Social Policy in Japan." The 5th Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Kyosei Studies, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, June 8. (Invited)
2012.10, "Rare Diseases and Social Policy." Workshop on the Research on Economy And Social Inclusion, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, October 13.