Donation & Charity Runner Application Are Now Open
Japan IDDM Network is an official charity of Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity.
We are pleased to announce that Donation & Charity Runner Application opened on June 24, 2026.
We hope you will support us through a donation or by applying as a Charity Runner to help advance research toward a cure for type 1 diabetes.
How Your Donation Will Be Used
Your donation will support the Bioartificial Islet Transplantation Project, a research initiative working toward a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is primarily caused by autoimmune responses and requires lifelong insulin therapy once diagnosed.
There are currently two approaches aimed at curing type 1 diabetes: pancreas transplantation and islet transplantation. However, both face major challenges, including a severe shortage of donors and the need for lifelong immunosuppressive medication.
To overcome these challenges, the project is developing “bioartificial islets,” in which islets from medical pigs that can be supplied in large numbers are enclosed within special capsules that block immune reactions.
Ultimately, the project aims to make Bioartificial Islet Transplantation available to everyone who wishes to receive it.
Preparations are currently underway for Japan’s first clinical trial of this treatment.
Your participation in Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity helps support a future in which type 1 diabetes becomes a curable disease.
▶ Learn more about the Bioartificial Islet Transplantation Project
The Charity Experience at Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity
At Japan IDDM Network, we hope that Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity will provide opportunities to connect with others who share the vision of a future where type 1 diabetes can be cured.
We are planning a variety of experiences that will bring together everyone participating through Japan IDDM Network. Please see the Japan IDDM Network Original Program below.
We also plan to host a lunch gathering with researchers involved in the Bioartificial Islet Transplantation Project. Participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from researchers about the project supported by their donations, ask questions, and interact with them.
A leading expert in Japan in islet transplantation and bioartificial islet transplantation research aimed at curing type 1 diabetes.After graduating from Kobe University School of Medicine and Postgraduate School of Medicine, he conducted research and clinical practice in islet transplantation at the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington. In 2004, he helped achieve Japan’s first successful human islet transplantation at Kyoto University Hospital.
Visiting Professor, Kobe University
Representative Director, Medical Pig Development Organization
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity Overview
https://www.runwithheart.jp/news/list/19/20/?tag=
| Event Date | March 7, 2027 (Sunday) |
|---|---|
| Charity Organization | Japan IDDM Network (Certified Nonprofit Organization) |
| How to Apply | Step 1:Select Japan IDDM Network on the Official Website of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation Charity RUN with HEART. Step 2: Apply through the donation application system. |
| Application Period | 1.Donation and Charity Runner Applicants June 24, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – July 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (JST) 2.Donation Only June 24, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – August 31, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (JST) |
| Donation Amount | 1. Donation and Charity Runner Applicants JPY 120,000 or more 2.Donation Only JPY 1,000 or more |
| Number of Charity Runner Places | 40 |
| Eligibility | • Must be at least 19 years old on the day of the race day. • Must be capable of completing the marathon within 6 hours and 30 minutes. |
| Selection Process | １）Donations per person is 120,000 yen or more ２）Priority slots (up to 12 participants) for Previous Japan IDDM Network Charity Runners or supporters –> If applications exceed the available priority slots, participants will be selected by higher donation amount. ３）Selected by higher donation amount –> If the donation application amount is the same, participants will be selected based on the content of the “Thoughts on charity & Messages.” * Selection results will be announced between July 14 and July 17, 2026. |
| Hospitality | • Finish Lounge exclusively for Charity Runners (provisional) • Charity T-shirt |
| Japan IDDM Network Special Program | • Lunch gathering with researchers involved in the Bioartificial Islet Transplantation Project • A special gathering at a traditional Japanese shrine to pray for race success as one team • Opportunities to connect with Charity Runners from Japan and around the world • Original commemorative gifts supporting our vision of a cure |
| Others | ・Charity runner registration (participation) is optional for donators. |
Application Process & Schedule
Run for a Cure
Toward a future without type 1 diabetes.
Your participation helps advance research aimed at curing type 1 diabetes.
Through Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity, we hope you will join us in supporting a future where type 1 diabetes can be cured.
