AITRICS Signs MOU with Yokohama City University for Joint Research on Medical AI
2026-06-16
Collaboration to Advance AI Medical Device Research and Validation in Japan
Using Clinical Data from Yokohama City University Hospital
[June 16, 2026] AITRICS, a medical artificial intelligence(AI) company, announced that its Japan subsidiary has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Yokohama City University to pursue joint research in the field of AI-powered medical devices.
Under the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate on research aimed at advancing the use of AI medical devices in Japanese clinical settings by combining the clinical expertise of Yokohama City University Hospital with AITRICS' medical AI technology. The collaboration is expected to support clinical decision-making and enhance patient safety in healthcare settings across Japan.
Yokohama City University Hospital will conduct the project with support from the Strategic Consultation Office of the YCU Center for Novel and Exploratory Clinical Trials (Y-NEXT). Professor Shunsuke Takagi of the Department of Intensive Care Medicine will serve as the principal investigator and lead discussions related to the joint research initiative.
Japan is facing increasing pressure on its healthcare system due to an aging population and a shortage of healthcare professionals. As a result, demand is growing for AI-powered medical technologies that can help clinicians rapidly identify changes in patient conditions and respond in a timely manner within limited healthcare resources. Interest is particularly high in AI-based patient monitoring and deterioration prediction technologies, especially in the care of critically ill and emergency patients, where early detection of subtle clinical changes is essential.
Yokohama is recognized as one of Japan's leading healthcare innovation hubs, with a strong concentration of advanced medical and biotechnology industries and an active ecosystem for digital health and AI healthcare validation.
Yokohama City University Hospital is a leading tertiary care academic medical center in Yokohama, located adjacent to the Fukuura Campus, home to the university's School of Medicine. The hospital plays a central role in acute and critical care, advanced medical technology development, clinical research, and the training of healthcare professionals.
This environment provides a strong foundation for evaluating and implementing AITRICS' medical AI technologies in response to the needs of the Japanese healthcare market. Subject to ethics approvals and applicable procedures, the two organizations plan to explore the use of clinical data from intensive care units and internal medicine departments to assess AI-powered approaches for earlier detection of patient deterioration and more timely clinical intervention.
"Yokohama City University Hospital has long served as a core institution within Yokohama's healthcare network through close collaboration with regional medical providers," said Kwangjun Kim, CEO of AITRICS. "Through this partnership, we aim to deepen our understanding of Japan's healthcare environment and establish a locally tailored AI healthcare collaboration model that can eventually expand across the broader Yokohama region."
AITRICS established its Japan subsidiary in March 2025 and has continued to expand collaborations with healthcare institutions throughout the country.