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On March 27, the Prime Minister held the 28th meeting of the Headquarters for Healthcare Policy at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
During the meeting, a discussion was held on the healthcare and medical strategy, and the plan for the advancement of research and development in the medical field.
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“The Abe Cabinet has made the materialization of a society in which people enjoy long and healthy lives one of the pillars of its Growth Strategy, and has  exerted every effort in this area, with the government working in unity.
 
We have formulated a new healthcare and medical strategy, centered on the promotion of world-class medical research and development, the development of high-quality private-sector services centered on preventative care and health promotion, and the promotion of the Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative and the Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative, which are aimed at the proactive overseas expansion of Japan’s outstanding medical services, under a framework of responding flexibly and agilely to a wide range of medical conditions, based also on our efforts over the past five years.
 
In this strategy, we place the research and development of pharmaceuticals and vaccines for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which is a threat to all of humankind, as the highest priority and are making all-out efforts in this regard.
 
I would like the relevant ministers, including Minister Takemoto, to work together under the new strategy.”