Before the Peak Leisure Season! GME Proposes New Norms for "Mail-in Testing" ~Don't Miss Hidden Signs of STIs and Changes in Physical Condition During Rainy Season~

GME Inc. (Location: Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Representative: Yukio Kowada) is calling for increased health management awareness through its mail-in testing service, available at home, to coincide with early summer, ahead of the summer vacation and travel season.

The period from the rainy season to summer is a time when people tend to feel fatigued and unwell due to changes in temperature and humidity. On the other hand, with the arrival of summer vacation and leisure season, opportunities for social interaction increase, making it a notable time to review one's own health status.

In recent years, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis and HIV have become social issues in Japan, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is emphasizing the importance of continuous testing and early detection.

Increasing Syphilis and HIV Cases

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of reported syphilis cases has been on an upward trend since around 2011, with the annual number of reports in 2023 setting a new record high (※1).

Particularly among women, the number of reports in their 20s is high, and attention is being drawn to the spread of infection among young people.

Furthermore, for HIV, the number of new infections and AIDS patients reported in 2024 was 994, an increase for the second consecutive year (※2). Since there is a long period without noticeable symptoms even after infection, many cases are discovered late without opportunities for testing.

The number of reported syphilis cases has surged since 2021, reaching a record high in 2023. Following a period of reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of new HIV reports has also been on the rise again in recent years.

"General Malaise" Increases During Rainy Season - An Opportunity to Review Your Health

During the rainy season, it is said that more people experience symptoms such as "feeling heavy in the morning," "general lethargy," and "lack of mental clarity."

These symptoms may not just be simple fatigue or imagination, but could be "weather-related illness" (weather pain) influenced by changes in atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature. According to Dr. Jun Sato (※3), known for his research on weather-related illnesses, weather-related illnesses can manifest in various symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, fatigue, tinnitus, stiff shoulders, and low mood.

Especially during the rainy season, with continuous low-pressure systems and high humidity, the autonomic nervous system's balance can easily be disrupted. As a result, many people experience a "general malaise" such as "feeling unwell but not enough to go to the doctor" or "feeling easily tired for no apparent reason."

The rainy season is a time when you are prone to notice changes in your physical condition, making it a good opportunity to review your health status and lifestyle habits. Behind fatigue and malaise, factors related to hormonal imbalances and lifestyle habits may be hidden, in addition to lack of sleep and stress.

Before the height of summer, it is important to objectively grasp your body's condition with data and use it for health management.

Main symptoms of "weather-related illness" (weather pain) that tend to increase during the rainy season. It is important to review your health status and lifestyle habits triggered by discomfort due to changes in atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature.

Mail-in Testing: A New Self-Care Habit ~Approach "Invisible Risks" from Home~

While the importance of facing one's own body is heightened by the "general malaise" during the rainy season, risks like sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that "progress with few early symptoms" tend to be put off.

In particular, many people postpone testing due to the following hurdles:

"No time to visit a medical institution" (Too busy with work or school to take time off during weekday business hours)

"Concerned about being seen by others" (Don't want to be seen entering or leaving a specialized clinic, want to protect privacy)

"No trigger for testing" (No symptoms, so don't feel compelled to go to the hospital)

The "mail-in testing" service proposed by GME offers a solution to these psychological and physical barriers to seeking medical attention. You can collect a sample at home without anyone knowing, and simply mail it in to receive a highly accurate test conducted at a registered sanitary laboratory. By saving the time and effort of visiting a medical institution, this privacy-conscious system is increasingly being used as a "smart self-care habit before the peak of summer" for busy modern individuals.

Flowchart of mail-in testing service utilization. Easy to take tests even for busy working generations!

To Enjoy Summer with Peace of Mind

Summer is a season filled with enjoyable plans such as travel and events.

On the other hand, opportunities to understand one's own health status tend to be postponed.

GME aims to create an environment where more people can easily check their health status through its mail-in testing service, available at home.

Before the full arrival of summer, why not start preparing to face your own health and enjoy the summer with peace of mind?

Future Outlook

As a company specializing in mail-in testing, we offer a wide range of testing services, including STI testing such as HIV and syphilis, as well as lifestyle disease testing, female hormone testing, cancer tumor marker testing, and allergy testing. We believe that establishing an environment where anyone can receive appropriate testing anytime and anywhere, regardless of whether they are individual customers or group/corporate testing, is important for expanding opportunities for prevention and early detection.

We aim to use the convenient mail-in testing service to enable people to objectively understand their "current selves" through testing and, if necessary, connect them to medical consultations or treatment. Realizing this process through our highly convenient mail-in testing service is our company's important role.

The cumulative total of 700,000 tests for HIV and syphilis is a milestone achieved through our efforts to expand testing opportunities with the understanding of many customers, local governments, medical institutions, and related organizations.

Going forward, GME will continue to contribute to the early detection of STIs including HIV and syphilis, facilitate referrals to appropriate medical institutions, and realize a self-medication society through commissioned projects from local governments and our own services.

"Prevention, Peace of Mind, Future. All Starts with Testing."

GME Inc.'s mail-in testing lineup supports a wide range of needs.

*Notes*

●This service is not intended for the diagnosis of diseases. ●It is intended to be used as a self-check to supplement medical examinations and regular health check-ups. ●Medical consultation may be necessary depending on the test results.

〈Reference Materials〉

※1: National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Infectious Disease Information Site, Infectious Disease Surveillance Weekly Report (IDWR) Trends in Syphilis Cases in Japan (As of April 1, 2026)

https://id-info.jihs.go.jp/surveillance/idss/target-diseases/syphilis/notification/index.html

※2: API-Net 2024 AIDS Surveillance Trends - Analysis Results -

https://api-net.jfap.or.jp/status/japan/data/2024/nenpo/bunseki.pdf

※3: Weather Pain Dr.

https://www.tenkitsu-dr.com/

【Contact】

GME Inc. Director of General Affairs, Shotaro Baba

TEL: 027-310-7000 E-mail: baba@gme.co.jp

(Reception hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, excluding holidays and weekends)

GME Inc.

Company Name: GME Inc. Trade Name: GME Medical Laboratory Location: 1-1-5 Kataoka-cho, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture Established: July 2006 Representative: Yukio Kowada, Representative Director Business Management: Shotaro Baba, Director of General Affairs Business Activities: Mail-in testing services, operation of registered sanitary laboratories

【Service Introduction Site】

・Testing Service Introduction (https://www.gme.co.jp/portal/) ・STI Testing (https://www.gme.co.jp/) ・Lifestyle Disease Testing (https://healthcheck.gme.co.jp/lp/) ・Allergy Testing (https://healthcheck.gme.co.jp/allergy/) ・Female Hormone Testing (https://healthcheck.gme.co.jp/hormone/lp/) ・Cancer Risk Testing (https://healthcheck.gme.co.jp/tumor-marker/lp/)

【Columns and Reference Content】

・Column (https://www.gme.co.jp/column/) ・Cervical Cancer Prevention for 20s and 30s (https://www.gme.co.jp/cervical-cancer-prevention/) ・Do You Know About HIV/AIDS? (https://www.gme.co.jp/hiv_aids_prevention/) ・Things to Know About Your Body by Age 25 (Awareness for Young People) (https://www.gme.co.jp/u-25_sexual-support/)