:Public health centres in Japan

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In Japan, a public health centre (Japanese: 保健所 Hokenjo) is a government facility responsible for public health matters.{{Cite journal |last1=Sakai |first1=Kosuke |last2=Igarashi |first2=Yu |last3=Tounai |first3=Shuji |last4=Shirai |first4=Chika |last5=Tsurugi |first5=Yoko |last6=Kakuno |first6=Fumihiko |last7=Komasa |first7=Yukako |last8=Fujimura |first8=Maya |last9=Uruha |first9=Mika |last10=Mori |first10=Koji |last11=Tateishi |first11=Seiichiro |date=2024-05-17 |title=Key issues in Japan's public health centers to prepare for future pandemics: a text mining study using a topic model |journal=BMC Health Services Research |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=636 |doi= 10.1186/s12913-024-11094-w|doi-access=free |issn=1472-6963 |pmc=11100133 |pmid=38760814}}{{Cite journal |last1=Katsuda |first1=Nobuyuki |last2=Hirosawa |first2=Tomoya |last3=Reyer |first3=Joshua A. |last4=Hamajima |first4=Nobuyuki |date=2015 |title=Roles of Public Health Centers (Hokenjo) in Tuberculosis Control in Japan |journal=Nagoya Journal of Medical Science |volume=77 |issue=1–2 |pages=19–28 |issn=0027-7622 |pmc=4361504 |pmid=25797967}}{{Cite web |title=Japan's public health and culture, and the ongoing fight against COVID-19 |url=https://www.bsmiab.org/jabet/178-1594961238-japans-public-health-and-culture-and-the-ongoing-fight-against-covid-19 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=JABET}}

The primary role of public health centre is to prevent infectious disease and chronic health problems. It is responsible for monitoring air and water quality, inspecting and licensing waterworks, beauty salons, barbers, food processing facilities, restaurants, hotels, doctors and hospitals, and also animal control. It also provides health consultation to patients with mental illness or chronic health problems such as cancer and asthma.