Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a cooperative health care model for early detection and diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in Omuta Japan. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. We performed diagnosis of COPD at four public health centres in Omuta, Japan from March 2015 to March 2016, by adding screening for COPD at the time of routine medical evaluations. All patients over 50 years were eligible to participate. Of a total of 397 eligible patients, 293 agreed to take part in the study. Results: The estimated prevalence of COPD in Omuta was 10% among subjects over 40 years and was 17% among smokers. Out of those who were screened, over half had questionnaire scores over the cut-off of 17 points and decreased FEV1/FVC%, indicating COPD (p>0.05). Thirty subjects with suspected COPD were given a referral for further investigation at a local central hospital, but only six underwent further medical examinations. Conclusion: The combination of COPD questionnaire and medical exam was effective as a COPD screening tool. Future research should investigate behavioural interventions for smoking cessation that can be offered in a cooperative model, as well as for improving participation in COPD screening and for encouraging early presentation for treatment in those suspected of having COPD.