In a market comprising over 105,000 outpatient clinics, this agreement launches research to adapt “Jenny AI” to the workflows, language, and regulations of the Japanese healthcare system.
A vast healthcare market under pressure
Japan boasts one of the world’s most extensive and mature healthcare systems. As of May 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recorded 105,690 general outpatient clinics, 7,949 hospitals, and 65,057 dental practices. Behind these figures lies a widespread network of facilities that must handle appointment bookings, medication inquiries, administrative communications, clinical questions, and appointment changes on a daily basis.
Pressure on the system is set to remain high. According to the Statistics Bureau of Japan, the number of people aged 65 or older reached 36.19 million in 2025—representing 29.4% of the population—the highest proportion ever recorded in the country. Furthermore, OECD data indicates that Japanese healthcare spending amounts to 10.6% of GDP, compared to an OECD average of 9.3%.
While these figures do not directly measure call volumes, they illustrate the context in which service accessibility becomes a critical operational factor. In a system with a large elderly patient base, the telephone remains an immediate and familiar channel, even when online portals and booking systems are available.
Missed calls and interruptions: the invisible cost of healthcare front-office operations
When a healthcare facility fails to answer the phone, the issue goes beyond a mere missed call. Patients may call back repeatedly, use alternative channels, show up at the reception desk in person, or simply postpone their request. At the same time, every phone call answered by staff interrupts the task at hand, forcing the patient physically present to compete for attention with the caller.
There are no publicly available national statistics quantifying the total number of missed calls in Japanese healthcare facilities. To understand the operational reality, YAP conducted twelve individual online interviews between July and August 2026: eight with patients and four with professionals experienced in clinics or pharmacies. In a preliminary questionnaire administered to study participants, 15 out of 20 respondents working in clinics stated that phone calls interrupted their work either frequently or occasionally.
The interviews also revealed significant variation. A professional working in a clinic with an online booking system reported personally handling over ten calls a day; a pharmacy administrator cited between 11 and 20 daily calls on a single line, while a pharmacist at an independent facility reported between one and five. Although these are exploratory, self-reported figures—and not representative of the entire market—they clearly illustrate why a “one-size-fits-all” setup would not be suitable for every facility.
Why digitizing bookings isn’t enough
While some requests can be shifted online, healthcare-related calls rarely involve just a single type of transaction. The same line handles bookings, rescheduling requests, inquiries, inter-staff communication, and sales calls. Furthermore, what appears to be a purely administrative request may actually mask a question about symptoms or medication.
The real challenge lies not merely in automated answering, but in understanding the reason for the call, gathering the necessary information, distinguishing between requests that can be handled automatically and those requiring human intervention, and promptly routing potentially urgent cases. In healthcare, automation and human oversight must be designed in tandem.
The agreement between Icarus Technology and YAP
On August 25, 2026, Icarus S.r.l. (trading as Icarus Technology) and YAP Inc. signed a definitive service agreement initiating the research required to adapt the AI voice technology developed by Icarus for the Japanese market. This agreement follows a memorandum of collaboration signed on May 28, 2026.
In Italy, Jenny AI supports the initial telephone contact process for healthcare facilities: it answers calls, understands the caller’s intent, organizes the information, and presents structured requests to the staff. The goal of the collaboration is not to transfer the Italian configuration to Japan exactly as it stands, but to redesign it based on local processes.
The planned roadmap consists of three steps: analyzing the needs of Japanese healthcare facilities, defining local specifications, and subsequently evaluating a pilot program with selected organizations. The current agreement covers the first phase. A commercial launch date has not yet been set.
Kyoko AI: an assistant designed for the Japanese context
For the Japanese market, the The solution will be introduced under the name Kyoko AI. Localization will encompass not only language but also communication styles between patients and facilities, industry practices, personal data protection, healthcare system security, and protocols for transferring calls that may require urgent intervention.
Icarus will provide and maintain the automated response system. YAP will conduct research on the Japanese healthcare landscape, help define local specifications, maintain liaison with healthcare facilities, and verify applicable regulatory requirements.
The role of Masaya Yamamoto and YAP
Masaya Yamamoto, Representative Director of YAP Inc. and the collaboration’s lead contact, clearly outlined the project’s approach: the goal is not to import a system that works in Italy without modification, but to rebuild it around Japanese healthcare practices. Consequently, the first step is research, rather than selling an off-the-shelf solution.
YAP’s contribution is crucial because entering the Japanese healthcare sector requires language skills, knowledge of regulations, and the ability to operate in line with industry customs. The company acts as a bridge between the technology developed by Icarus and the practical needs of local healthcare organizations.
From Cagliari to Japan: a journey of internationalization
The collaboration was launched on December 3, 2025, in Tokyo during the “Corporate Innovation and Startup Co-Creation in Japan” event and continued in 2026 at SusHi Tech Tokyo and IVS. The initiative has been supported by the Italian Trade Agency (at the Italian Embassy), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Innovation Base, and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia.
Antonio Amendola, Project Manager at Icarus Technology and the internationalization expert who orchestrated the agreement, emphasizes that the collaboration’s value lies precisely in this adaptation process: technology, workflows, and requirements must be shaped through direct engagement with the Japanese market, while leveraging expertise developed in Cagliari.
From missed calls to more organized access to services
Voice AI can become a truly effective tool when it is not treated merely as an automated answering machine. It must greet patients using natural language, function reliably during peak times, handle multiple simultaneous conversations, summarize requests, and keep staff in control of the process.
The goal is not to eliminate human interaction, but to reserve it for situations where it is truly essential: complex questions, sensitive communications, urgent matters, and cases requiring professional judgment. It is upon this balance that Icarus and YAP will build the Japanese-specific version of Kyoko AI.
Research grounded in real-world operations
The Japanese market offers significant scale but demands rigor. The country’s 105,000+ outpatient clinics are far from identical; patient volumes, staffing, patient demographics, medical specialties, and organizational structures can vary widely. The research phase will identify where AI voice assistance can create value and determine the conditions that must be met prior to a pilot program.
For Icarus, the agreement with YAP marks a new step in the international expansion of Jenny AI. For healthcare facilities, it offers a tangible prospect: reducing the burden of repetitive calls and unstructured requests without losing human oversight of critical interactions.
Want to discover how Jenny AI can improve call management at your healthcare facility?
Request a demo from Icarus Technology.