The health of urban populations has many underlying factors beyond the availability of medical support. In this interview, Professor Keiko Nakamura, Head of the Department of Global Health and Entrepreneurship at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, as well as Head of the Secretariat of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, discusses how education, the local economy, and the environment are some of the factors that contribute to health. She also discusses how leaders can create policies that address these issues, improving urban health through a multifaceted approach.