JAPIA Presidents Press Conference Held New President Asuka Miyabashira makes a statement
On May 22, 2025, the "Pharmaceutical Association of Japan Press Conference" was held at Hotel Metropolitan Edmont (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). Asuka Miyabashira (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited), newly elected chairman at the 276th Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan General Meeting held on the same day, took the podium at the press conference and expressed her belief in her new position and the future direction of the pharmaceutical industry. Under the theme of "Co-creation: Building the Future of Healthcare and New Value through Co-creation and Innovation," she expressed her commitment to enhance the sustainability of healthcare and build a world-leading Japanese healthcare model through co-creation, while at the same time resolving current issues in the current social climate. The press conference was held in a hybrid format, both at the venue and online, and was attended by approximately 40 members of the press.
Building the Future of Healthcare through "Co-Creation
At the beginning of the conference, Chairman Miyabashira emphasized the spirit of "Era of Change" and his commitment to making changes in response to the times while respecting traditions. He stressed the importance of "co-creation," which places "improving the health of the people and patients" as the starting point of value in the rapidly changing healthcare environment, while taking advantage of Japan's strength of universal healthcare coverage. In response to the sustainability of healthcare in Japan's hyper-aged society, he expressed his intention to create new value through dialogue, mutual understanding, and the resolution of common issues with all stakeholders, including the public, patients, government, business, and academia.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Pharmaceutical Industry: Supporting Health, Economy, and Society
Chairman Miyabashira said that the pharmaceutical industry is not only a provider of medicines, but also an industry that carries multilayered values such as extending people's healthy life expectancy, contributing to economic growth, and revitalizing local communities. In particular, he made clear that the industry is aware of its responsibility as an R&D-oriented industry and aims to improve its international competitiveness through stable supply of innovative drugs and high value-added production activities.
To improve the attractiveness of the pharmaceutical market to attract investment
He also mentioned structural issues such as the declining international status of drug discovery capabilities and the predictability of the NHI drug price system. Chairman Miyabashira stated that "increasing the attractiveness of the Japanese market is the key to attracting investment," and indicated that he intends to work on stable system operation, realization of a highly predictable, category-specific, and well-structured drug pricing policy, and promotion of production investment in biotechnology and new modalities. He emphasized that, compared to other countries, Japan lags far behind in investment, and that now is the time for the public and private sectors to work together to improve the environment.
Promotion of Medical DX and Value Redistribution
He also touched on the importance of medical DX, expressing the aim to provide "high quality medical care" that realizes personalized medical care for each patient while improving efficiency in drug discovery, production, and supply. He said that medical institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and governments should work together to promote data utilization and reinvest in higher value medicine and pharmaceuticals, which will lead to the provision of optimal medical care to the public and patients and the realization of sustainable social security.
Clear division of roles and "co-creation" to solve issues
Chairman Miyabashira concluded his speech by saying, "Issues surrounding healthcare cannot be solved by the pharmaceutical industry alone. It is essential for all parties involved to clarify their roles and co-create toward a common goal. He concluded by saying that the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), as the core platform for this purpose, aims to deepen dialogue and cooperation, and to be the main body that creates a virtuous cycle for healthcare as a whole.
At the press conference, the media actively asked questions and expressed their expectations for concrete actions such as reform of the NHI drug price system, enhancement of the domestic production system, and the sharing of roles between the public and private sectors to strengthen drug discovery capabilities. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) will continue its efforts to support the health of the people and build a medical model that Japan can present to the world.
For more details, please refer to the Chairman's Press Conference Presentation and Video Presentation.
https://www.jpma.or.jp/vision/press_conference_lecture/2025/media/250522.html
(Risa Ishimoto, Industrial Policy Committee)