"Press Conference by the President of the JPMA" Held New President Asuka Miyabashira Delivers Policy Address
On May 22, 2025, the “JPMA President’s Press Conference” was held at the Hotel Metropolitan Edmont (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo).At this press conference, Asuka Miyabashira (TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY LIMITED), who was newly elected as President at the “276th JPMA Assembly” held on the same day, took the stage to present her policy statement upon assuming office and outline the future direction of the pharmaceutical industry.Under the theme “Co-creation— Building the Future of Healthcare and New Value through Co-creation and Innovation,” she outlined plans to enhance the sustainability of healthcare and work collaboratively to build a world-leading Japanese healthcare model, while also addressing immediate challenges arising from current social conditions. The press conference was held in a hybrid format, combining an in-person venue with online participation, and was attended by approximately 40 members of the press.
Building the Future of Healthcare Through “Co-creation”
At the outset, Chairman Miyabashira invoked the spirit of “Fuyu-ryu-ko” (the balance between the timeless and the contemporary), emphasizing a commitment to respecting tradition while advancing reforms in step with the times.He stressed the importance of “co-creation,” which places “improving the health of the public and patients” at the core of its values, while leveraging Japan’s strength—its universal health insurance system—amidst a rapidly changing healthcare environment.Addressing the challenges of healthcare sustainability faced by Japan as a super-aged society, he outlined a vision for creating new value through dialogue, mutual understanding, and the resolution of shared challenges with all stakeholders—including the public, patients, government, businesses, and academia.
The Role and Responsibility of the Pharmaceutical Industry: Supporting Health, the Economy, and Society
Chairman Miyashira stated that the pharmaceutical industry is not merely a provider of medicines, but an industry that delivers multifaceted value, including extending the healthy life expectancy of the public, contributing to economic growth, and revitalizing local communities.In particular, he clearly articulated the industry’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities as a research-and-development-driven sector, aiming to ensure a stable supply of innovative pharmaceuticals and enhance international competitiveness through high-value-added manufacturing activities.
Enhancing the Attractiveness of the Pharmaceutical Market to Attract Investment
He also touched upon structural challenges, such as the decline in Japan’s international standing in drug discovery and the lack of predictability in the drug pricing system.Chairman Miyashira stated, “Enhancing the attractiveness of the Japanese market is the key to attracting investment,” and outlined a policy to work toward stable system management, the implementation of a highly predictable and well-balanced drug pricing policy by category, and the promotion of production investment in biotechnology and new modalities.He emphasized that, even when compared internationally, investment in Japan lags significantly behind, and that now is the time for the public and private sectors to work together to improve the investment environment.
Promoting Healthcare Digital Transformation and Redistributing Value
He also touched on the importance of healthcare digital transformation (DX), stating that the goal is to provide “high-quality healthcare” tailored to each individual patient while improving the efficiency of drug discovery, production, and supply.He stated that by promoting data utilization through collaboration among medical institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies, and reinvesting in higher-value medical care and pharmaceuticals, this will lead to the provision of optimal medical care for the public and patients, as well as the realization of a sustainable social security system.
Solving Challenges Through Clear Division of Roles and “Co-creation”
In closing, Chairman Miyashira stated, “The challenges facing the healthcare sector cannot be solved by the pharmaceutical industry alone. It is essential that all stakeholders clarify their respective roles and engage in co-creation toward a common goal.” He concluded by stating that the JPMA, as a core platform, aims to deepen dialogue and collaboration and serve as a driving force to create a virtuous cycle across the entire healthcare sector.
During the press conference, media outlets posed a lively series of questions, expressing expectations for concrete actions such as reform of the drug pricing system, strengthening domestic production capabilities, and defining the division of roles between the public and private sectors to enhance drug discovery capabilities. The JPMA will continue to move forward to support the health of the public and build a healthcare model that Japan can share with the world.
For details, please refer to the Chairman’s press conference materials and presentation videos.
https://www.jpma.or.jp/vision/press_conference_lecture/2025/media/250522.html
(Risa Ishimoto, Pharmaceutical Industrial Policy Committee)