The 8020 Campaign in Japan: A Policy Analysis

Abstract

Japan initiated a nationwide oral health promotion movement called the 8020 Campaign in 1989, which promoted oral health via a positive message: let’s keep at least 20 teeth when we reach the age of 80. This study aimed to understand Japan’s 8020 Campaign in terms of its content, actors, processes, and context. This study used qualitative data collection methods consisting of a literature review and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The data were analyzed using the health policy triangle framework. The results showed that the 8020 Campaign promoted oral health for individuals of all ages using a life-course approach and followed the Ottawa Charter framework for its core activities. The major facilitating factors suggested were stable financial support, initiatives led by local governments, the enactment of oral health laws and ordinances, the establishment of the 8020 Promotion Foundation, and increased attention focused on preventive approaches to oral health in Japan.