World Cancer Day

Today, and February 4th annually, is World Cancer Day 世界対がんデー established by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in 2002. UICC is a consortium of more than 350 cancer‑related organizations across over 100 countries.

Japan plays a highly visible, leadership‑level role in World Cancer Day, leading the Global "Light up the World" campaign in 2016 to raise awareness, encourage prevention, early detection, and treatment, and to push cancer control higher on political and public‑health agendas. World Cancer Day also aims to correct misinformation and reduce stigma surrounding cancer. 

In 2005 it launched the World Cancer Campaign. The campaign emphasizes that up to 40% of cancers can be prevented through actions such as avoiding tobacco smoke, maintaining physical activity and balanced nutrition, preventing virus‑related cancers, and limiting excessive sun exposure.