According to Amar Urhekar (pictured), who recently took on the expanded role of executive vice-president of Japan and Asia-Pacific at McCann Healthcare, the agency will develop recommendations to address the issues surrounding schizophrenia following research into community attitudes towards the illness.
Urekhar described schizophrenia in Japan as “a highly stigmatised condition, compounded by low community awareness and suboptimal rates of diagnosis”.
The appointment follows a competitive pitch that included three other undisclosed agencies.
Separately, Akebono-kai, a Japanese breast cancer patient association, has appointed McCann Healthcare to develop a campaign to raise public awareness and drive early screening for the disease.
The print advertising push will feature across national newspapers around the Mother’s Day period later this month.
“Historically low rates of preventive screening have led to a higher death rate in Japan than other developed countries,” Urhekar noted. “Akebono-kai sees consumer education and awareness as a key pillar in addressing the issue longer term.”
Urhekar, who was previously based in China as Asia director, took up his new position in Japan in March.
