Why did Japan advance so rapidly? A comparative analysis of newly reconstructed series of deaths by cause

Tracking cause-of-death trends over an extended period is challenging due to the disruptions caused by revisions of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). In Japan, the transition between ICD-9 and ICD-10 is complicated by the revision of the death certificate which took place one year before the adoption of the ICD-10. However, providing consistent series of deaths by cause for this leading country in health and mortality is crucial to understanding the factors behind the progress made since the 1980s and to predicting potential future trends.To address this issue, we have reconstructed long-term time series statistics on cause of death at the most detailed 4-digit level of the ICD-10.