Yoko Shimpuku

Prof. Yoko Shimpuku is Professor of Global Health Nursing at Hiroshima University, where she leads research and education in maternal and child health with a strong focus on equity, care, and digital health innovation. She has conducted extensive field research in Tanzania and other African and Asian countries to improve maternal and newborn outcomes, particularly through the development and evaluation of mobile health interventions and midwifery education programs. Prof. Shimpuku has also advanced interdisciplinary projects that aim to make visible the social and economic value of caregiving, linking nursing, anthropology, and digital technologies.

She has played active roles in international academic and policy communities. She currently serves as a member of the WHO STAGE Midwifery Expert Group and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Regional Professional Committee for the Western Pacific (Researcher). She is also a member of the Science Council of Japan. Previously, she served on the executive committees of the Global Young Academy and the Young Academy of Japan, contributing to science diplomacy and global equity in science and health. In 2020, she was recognized by WHO, the United Nations, and partner organizations as one of the “100 Outstanding Women Nurse and Midwife Leaders” worldwide.