GREETING

Hello, I’m Yūki Okada, CEO of Setolabo LLC. I was born and raised in Hiroshima Prefecture and graduated from Shūdō Junior & Senior High School there. After taking one gap year, I enrolled in the School of Medicine at Kagawa University, graduated in 2019, and obtained my medical license that same year.

From elementary through high school, I participated in study tours to Australia, Thailand, the United States, and South Korea organized by the YMCA and various volunteer groups, learning firsthand about each country’s social challenges. As a university student, I joined Kagawa University’s regional revitalization projects—working on community initiatives across the islands and districts of Kagawa Prefecture. I also traveled solo with only a backpack to India, Cuba, and several European countries, immersing myself in their cultures, religions, and the realities of poverty. In my medical studies, I undertook exchanges at Brunei Darussalam University, the National University of Singapore, Chiang Mai University, and Chulalongkorn University to gain hands-on experience in international and developing-country healthcare.

Inspired by programs such as Japan’s “Tobitate! Young Ambassadors” scholarship and the G1 College at Globis University, I was motivated by the entrepreneurs and changemakers my age to tackle social issues myself—and thus founded my company in 2019 while still in medical school. (You can find the detailed story of our founding on a separate page.)

Currently, we operate two primary businesses and, through both in-house and external projects, also provide consulting services by sharing our expertise. Below is a brief overview of our two main ventures:

1. Accessible Preventive Testing Service
Our first business makes health screenings more approachable so diseases can be caught early. At our hygiene testing laboratories in Kagawa and Osaka prefectures, we offer cancer screenings, infectious-disease tests, and genetic analyses. To popularize tumor-marker testing, we are partnering with various medical institutions. In 2022, we launched the Setolabo Genetic Testing Center, and since 2024 we have been conducting clinical research with Kagawa University Hospital to develop genetic tests for ultra-early cancer detection. As each trial completes, we will roll out that testing method, making cancer screening commonplace and helping realize a society where no one dies of cancer.

When COVID-19 first emerged, my experience on the front lines of emergency care drove me to reduce severe cases and ease hospital burdens by launching community-based PCR testing faster than anyone else. Early in the pandemic, we advised numerous local governments. Notably, when Hiroshima Prefecture proposed free PCR testing for all residents, we recommended pharmacies as test sites and helped establish Japan’s first pharmacy-based testing program in Hiroshima—a model later adopted nationally. Independently, Setolabo opened 13 testing centers across Chūgoku and Shikoku, supported screenings at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, conducted tests at senior facilities in Osaka, and participated in nationwide free testing initiatives on behalf of government agencies.

2. Medical Literacy Promotion
Our second business aims to advance preventive medicine by raising medical literacy. We observed that profit-driven medical advertisements were misleading patients in clinical settings. In an era where anyone can look up information online, people need the habit of pausing to verify an article’s accuracy and the mindset to make informed judgments—even without formal medical training. To foster these skills, we founded a medically supervised “Medical Esthetic Salon” (now spun off into a separate company) to demonstrate evidence-based care and the importance of reliable information firsthand. Going forward, we plan to create platforms where healthcare professionals visibly share medically grounded knowledge, so anyone can access trustworthy medical information at any time.

Finally, I’m committed to giving back to society in gratitude for the support I’ve received. I’d like to share three key initiatives and invite your participation in expanding our circle of support:

1. Study-Abroad Support
   As a corporate partner of MEXT’s “Tobitate! Young Ambassadors” program, Setolabo donates funds to support Japanese students studying overseas. We also host interns who aspire to study abroad. Additionally, I personally support study-abroad grants at my alma mater, Kagawa University, where the former Dean of Medicine established the “Setolabo Fund” on campus and manages our contributions as a scholarship fund.
2. Research and Education Grants
   I contribute to Kagawa University to fund basic research and educational programs. I also provide financial support for public-health research at Chiang Mai University in Thailand.
3. Developing-Country Outreach
   Once our ultra-early cancer-screening trials conclude, we plan to expand the test across Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe—bringing easy, early-detection cancer testing to countries with limited resources.

I was honored to receive the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon from His Majesty the Emperor in recognition of these efforts. As a venture born in the Seto Inland Sea region, Setolabo strives to pioneer genetic testing and research and grow into a global “unicorn.” If you share our vision for a healthier future, please join us on this journey.

Secondly, we support research and education by donating to my alma mater, Kagawa University, to fund both basic research and teaching programs. We also provide financial assistance for public‐health research at Chiang Mai University. Thirdly, we back developing countries: once clinical trials of our simple, early‐detection cancer test conclude, we plan to deploy it across medically underserved regions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe by 2026.

As a medical venture originating in the Setouchi region, Setolabo is advancing genetic testing and research with the ambition of becoming a global unicorn. If our mission resonates with you, we invite you to join us in shaping a healthier future.

— Yūki Okada
CEO, Setolabo LLC