92% Improvement in METI Demonstration Project. Preventing Menopause-Related Job Loss from the Workplace.
HerLifeLab Inc. has officially launched "Vivalle for Business," an online medical program specializing in menopause. In a demonstration project supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), 92% of working women who received treatment from specialists experienced an improvement in menopausal symptoms. This service aims to support companies in retaining female talent and promoting women's empowerment.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 23:51
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 15:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 11, 2026 at 22:01 (6h 59m after Collected)
Results of Menopausal Symptom Improvement
HerLifeLab Inc. (Headquarters: Onna Village, Okinawa Prefecture; Representative Directors: Olga Eliseeva / Kyoko Otsuka), which operates "Vivalle," an online medical service specializing in menopause, has officially launched "Vivalle for Business," a medical program for corporations. This program was designed based on a project adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Femtech etc. Support Service Demonstration Project Subsidy" (FY2025). In a demonstration targeting 137 working women, 92% of those who received treatment from specialists reported an improvement in menopausal symptoms.
With the revised Women's Empowerment Promotion Act coming into effect in April 2026, which mandates companies to disclose the ratio of female managers, the issue of women declining promotions or leaving their jobs due to menopausal symptoms has emerged as a new challenge in corporate talent strategies.
■ Background: The Peak of Women's Careers Coincides with Menopause
The timing of promotion and appointment to management positions in women's careers (40s to 50s) coincides with menopause, a period of rapid changes in estrogen levels. Women who should be at the core of organizations are working while experiencing symptoms directly impacting work performance, such as insomnia, anxiety, and decreased concentration, often without being able to voice their struggles.
▼ "Silent Career Loss" Indicated by 3 Figures
4 out of 10: Women with menopausal symptoms who hesitated or declined promotion (Otsuka Pharmaceutical "Working Women's Health Awareness Survey" 2022)
Approximately 10%: Resignation rate due to menopause among women aged 45-54. This includes cases where women left jobs they could have continued if not for the symptoms (NHK/JILPT "Survey on Menopause and Work" 2021)
60%: Women with menopausal symptoms who have never consulted anyone at work (NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting "Awareness Survey on Menopausal Symptoms among Working Men and Women" 2023)
As the obligation to disclose the ratio of female managers begins in 2026, companies now need to address the question of "how to retain trained women" in parallel with "how to develop women into managers."
■ Overview of the Demonstration Project: The "Severity" of Working Women's Poor Health Becomes Clear
In FY2025, HerLifeLab received adoption for the METI "Femtech etc. Support Service Demonstration Project Subsidy" and conducted surveys and medical examinations for 137 working women. Pre-consultation data visualized the severity of unvoiced health issues in the workplace.
▼ Participants and Pre-Consultation Status
Number of Participants
137 working women
Severity of Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause Rating Scale (SMI) median: 51 points
* Approximately half are at a level where medical consultation and pharmacotherapy are recommended.
Depression Risk
CES-D score median: 17 points
* Approximately half are in the high-risk group for depression (CES-D 16 points or higher).
The data showed that a significant number of women in the workplace continue to work without seeking medical attention, thinking, "This is normal."
▼ Voices of Those Affected
Pre-consultation interviews revealed numerous complaints not only about physical symptoms but also about mental health, sleep, and impact on work.
Mental/Psychological Symptoms (most frequent category): "Constant anxiety and fear, feeling breathless just typing or speaking." "Waking up many times at night with anxiety. Always feeling anxious." "Getting irritated over small things and losing motivation in various situations more often."
Physical Symptoms: "Palpitations and floating dizziness on bad weather days." "Stiffness and pain in shoulders, back, and joints, easily irritated, lack of motivation." "Easily fatigued, stairs are tough. Forgetful and lack confidence in memory."
Insomnia/Sleep Disorders: "Falling asleep relatively smoothly but waking up almost completely after about 3 hours." "Sweating at night, waking up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep."
Impact on Work/Life: "Worried if I can continue working like this." "Since September, I haven't been able to go out. I'm barely managing with remote work." "Sudden onset of impatience and bad mood, unable to concentrate on work."
Specific difficulties with menopausal symptoms
▼ Demonstration Results: Improvement Confirmed in 3 Indicators
As a result of a program combining appropriate medical intervention for menopausal symptoms with continuous self-management, the following improvements were confirmed:
Indicator | Improvement Rate
---|---
Improvement in menopausal symptoms | 92%
Improvement in psychological symptoms (depression/anxiety) | 68%
Improvement in work performance (severe presenteeism group) | 70%
Results of changes due to menopause treatment for working women
■ Comments from Companies that Introduced the Demonstration
▼ NTT Docomo, Inc.
Through this demonstration, we reaffirmed that women's health issues, including menopause, are a common yet often overlooked topic for many employees in continuing to work.
Female employees of the affected generation attended the seminar.
HerLifeLab Inc. (Headquarters: Onna Village, Okinawa Prefecture; Representative Directors: Olga Eliseeva / Kyoko Otsuka), which operates "Vivalle," an online medical service specializing in menopause, has officially launched "Vivalle for Business," a medical program for corporations. This program was designed based on a project adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Femtech etc. Support Service Demonstration Project Subsidy" (FY2025). In a demonstration targeting 137 working women, 92% of those who received treatment from specialists reported an improvement in menopausal symptoms.
With the revised Women's Empowerment Promotion Act coming into effect in April 2026, which mandates companies to disclose the ratio of female managers, the issue of women declining promotions or leaving their jobs due to menopausal symptoms has emerged as a new challenge in corporate talent strategies.
■ Background: The Peak of Women's Careers Coincides with Menopause
The timing of promotion and appointment to management positions in women's careers (40s to 50s) coincides with menopause, a period of rapid changes in estrogen levels. Women who should be at the core of organizations are working while experiencing symptoms directly impacting work performance, such as insomnia, anxiety, and decreased concentration, often without being able to voice their struggles.
▼ "Silent Career Loss" Indicated by 3 Figures
4 out of 10: Women with menopausal symptoms who hesitated or declined promotion (Otsuka Pharmaceutical "Working Women's Health Awareness Survey" 2022)
Approximately 10%: Resignation rate due to menopause among women aged 45-54. This includes cases where women left jobs they could have continued if not for the symptoms (NHK/JILPT "Survey on Menopause and Work" 2021)
60%: Women with menopausal symptoms who have never consulted anyone at work (NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting "Awareness Survey on Menopausal Symptoms among Working Men and Women" 2023)
As the obligation to disclose the ratio of female managers begins in 2026, companies now need to address the question of "how to retain trained women" in parallel with "how to develop women into managers."
■ Overview of the Demonstration Project: The "Severity" of Working Women's Poor Health Becomes Clear
In FY2025, HerLifeLab received adoption for the METI "Femtech etc. Support Service Demonstration Project Subsidy" and conducted surveys and medical examinations for 137 working women. Pre-consultation data visualized the severity of unvoiced health issues in the workplace.
▼ Participants and Pre-Consultation Status
Number of Participants
137 working women
Severity of Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause Rating Scale (SMI) median: 51 points
* Approximately half are at a level where medical consultation and pharmacotherapy are recommended.
Depression Risk
CES-D score median: 17 points
* Approximately half are in the high-risk group for depression (CES-D 16 points or higher).
The data showed that a significant number of women in the workplace continue to work without seeking medical attention, thinking, "This is normal."
▼ Voices of Those Affected
Pre-consultation interviews revealed numerous complaints not only about physical symptoms but also about mental health, sleep, and impact on work.
Mental/Psychological Symptoms (most frequent category): "Constant anxiety and fear, feeling breathless just typing or speaking." "Waking up many times at night with anxiety. Always feeling anxious." "Getting irritated over small things and losing motivation in various situations more often."
Physical Symptoms: "Palpitations and floating dizziness on bad weather days." "Stiffness and pain in shoulders, back, and joints, easily irritated, lack of motivation." "Easily fatigued, stairs are tough. Forgetful and lack confidence in memory."
Insomnia/Sleep Disorders: "Falling asleep relatively smoothly but waking up almost completely after about 3 hours." "Sweating at night, waking up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep."
Impact on Work/Life: "Worried if I can continue working like this." "Since September, I haven't been able to go out. I'm barely managing with remote work." "Sudden onset of impatience and bad mood, unable to concentrate on work."
Specific difficulties with menopausal symptoms
▼ Demonstration Results: Improvement Confirmed in 3 Indicators
As a result of a program combining appropriate medical intervention for menopausal symptoms with continuous self-management, the following improvements were confirmed:
Indicator | Improvement Rate
---|---
Improvement in menopausal symptoms | 92%
Improvement in psychological symptoms (depression/anxiety) | 68%
Improvement in work performance (severe presenteeism group) | 70%
Results of changes due to menopause treatment for working women
■ Comments from Companies that Introduced the Demonstration
▼ NTT Docomo, Inc.
Through this demonstration, we reaffirmed that women's health issues, including menopause, are a common yet often overlooked topic for many employees in continuing to work.
Female employees of the affected generation attended the seminar.