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BackgroundThe Stop the Bleed (STB) program was developed to bring military bleeding control techniques into wider use among American civilians. It was introduced in Japan in case of mass casualty events during the Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Games in 2021, and its effectiveness was prospectively evaluated.MethodsJapanese physicians certified as STB instructors held bleeding control basic training courses from April to July 2019. Participants’ knowledge was assessed using pre-training and post-training tests comprising five questions. One point was awarded for each correct answer, giving a maximum total score of 5. (Q1) What is the most common preventable trauma death?; (Q2) Which actions should be prioritized for bleeding victims?; (Q3) Which patients should be transferred to hospital first?; (Q4) How should a tourniquet be applied?; (Q5) How should pain associated with a tourniquet be managed?ResultsThe study involved 157 participants (20 physicians/nurses, 82 medical students, 33 emergency services personnel, 22 police officers/security personnel). The mean±SD scores were 2.1±1.1 before training and 3.2±1.0 after training (pDiscussionThe STB program improved tourniquet knowledge. However, it was less effective in improving knowledge about which actions to prioritize for bleeding victims. This may be because the participants were well trained in basic life support and therefore expected to immediately commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation for patients in shock. The STB program is valuable in preparing Japanese people for mass casualty events during the Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Games in 2021.Level of evidenceIV.Study typeTherapeutic.