Headquarters for Healthcare and Medical Strategy Promotion

On February 18, 2025, Prime Minister Ishiba held the 49th meeting of the Headquarters for Healthcare and Medical Strategy Promotion at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, the participants engaged in discussions on a draft Healthcare Policy Phase III, a draft Plan for Promotion of Medical Research and Development Phase III, and other matters.

Following the discussion, the Prime Minister said:

“Today we compiled the Healthcare Policy Phase III and the Plan for Promotion of Medical Research and Development Phase III, basic plans for the promotion of medical research and development (R&D) in Japan and the creation of new industries that will contribute to a society of health and longevity over the five-year period from FY2025 to FY2029.

Our experience in responding to COVID-19 has shed light on the issues of a declining competitiveness of Japan’s pharmaceutical industry in global markets and its decreasing R&D capability and production capacity. In the event of an infectious disease contingency, failure to secure medical drugs and equipment appropriately would significantly affect the lives of the people and socio-economic activities.

In addition, we must address the issues of drug lag and drug loss, which prevent the domestic use of pharmaceuticals approved overseas, so that the public can obtain medicines swiftly when they need them.

In the phase III, we will take these issues into consideration and promote initiatives to protect the lives and health of the people, centering on strengthening our response to infectious diseases and enhancing drug discovery capabilities.

One of the main pillars among them is the establishment of a ‘Drug Discovery and Medical Equipment Creation Ecosystem,’ where academia, startups, pharmaceutical companies, and others work together as one to develop medical drugs and equipment with the backing of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

The founding of the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) in this coming April will enhance our initial response in an infectious disease contingency and help increase R&D capabilities.

When it comes to a strategy, what matters is its implementation. I request Minister Kiuchi and other relevant ministers to make concerted efforts to advance initiatives under the new strategy. That is all from me.”