Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) and AMR Alliance Japan co-hosted the Cross-Industry Dialogue titled “Bridging Public Interest and Market Dynamics: Perspectives on Reconsidering Regulatory Design for Pharmaceuticals” on Monday, April 20, 2026.

This dialogue session was held to explore responses to a structural challenge shared by both the antimicrobials and orphan drug sectors, focusing on the difficulty of ensuring adequate supply and driving innovation through market mechanisms alone, despite the social indispensability of these medicines. Diverse stakeholders gathered to the session including participants from government, industry, academia, and finance to engage in frank, cross-disciplinary discussions on how regulatory systems can be better designed.

The event featured presentations from participants representing various fields, followed by a roundtable discussion. A broad range of issues were examined, including the concept of “designated medical technologies,” challenges in business models, the potential for public-private partnership frameworks, and the use of public funding and incentive models to strengthen the pharmaceutical development and supply infrastructure.

HGPI and AMR Alliance Japan will continue to engage in dialogue with relevant stakeholders and contribute to future policy discussions in this area.

[Event Overview]

• Date & Time: Monday, April 20, 2026, 14:00–16:30 JST
• Format: In-person (Invitation-only | Chatham House Rule)
• Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo
  (3F, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

[Participants] (Titles omitted; in Japanese syllabary order)

Hiroaki Aoba (Senior Director, Regional Vitalization Support Division, Regional Economy Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC))
Yusuke Ariyoshi (Director, Infectious Disease Strategy Unit, New Product Planning Department, Integrated Disease Care Division, Shionogi & Co., Ltd.)
Kyoko Kakumoto (Government Affairs, Communications. Government Affairs & Market Access, GlaxoSmithKline K.K.)
Katsunori Kanazawa (Senior Chief, Division for Promotion of Research and Development, Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development for Preparedness and Response (SCARDA), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED))
Naoki Kawata (Director, Corporate Strategy Department, Corporate Strategy Division, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.)
Yusuke Kimbara (Professional, NHI Pricing & Reimbursement Office, Corporate Strategy Department, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.)
Hideaki Sakamoto (Incentive Task Force Leader, Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA))
Jun Sugihara (Director, Office for Promotion of Regenerative Medicine, Research and Development Policy Division, Health Policy Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW))
Yasunori Tawaragi (Shionogi & Co., Ltd.)
Masafumi Nozawa (Senior Vice President, Healthcare Industry Office, Corporate Finance Department Division6, Development Bank of Japan Inc.)
Tsubasa Hamada (External Affairs Team, Public & External Affairs Dept., Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.)
Megumi Hara (President, Representative Director, OrphanPacific, Inc.)
Ryo Matsumoto (Senior Associate, Regional Vitalization Support Division, Regional Economy Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC))
Hiroaki Mamiya (Associate Professor, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University)
Yuichi Mizukami (Specialist, External Affairs Team, Public & External Affairs Dept., Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.)

Observer
Yumiko Watanabe (Division of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Public Health Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW))