The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) and SENSHO-GUMI co-hosted the third Young Professionals’ Roundtable for Public-Private Opinion Exchange on Social Security and Healthcare Policy, titled “Navigating the cultural and working practice differences between the public and private sectors and exploring the better way to work together: Stories from Professionals with Both Experiences.”

To begin the roundtable, Ms. Yuko Ohira (Senior Manager, Policy & Public Affairs, Pfizer Japan Inc. / Former Assistant Director, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) and Mr. Satoshi Kamido (Associate Director, Public Policy & Government Affairs, AstraZeneca K.K. / Formerly at the Tuberculosis and Infectious Diseases Control Division, Health Service Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) spoke about the differences in culture and working practices between the public and private sectors and shared their personal experiences and views on the future of public-private cooperation.

After sharing the participants’ personal experiences and views on the difference between the public and private sectors, the participants exchanged opinions on better public-private exchanges and public-private dialogues, deepening the discussions on realizing better healthcare policies.

Introducing the Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub

The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub engages in projects related to environmental improvement, facility operations, and supporting and encouraging collaboration and engagement among alliance organizations to generate new value to provide society through public-private co-creation. To achieve this, the Hub provides opportunities for conversations to be held among representatives of both the public and private sectors (including those from government and municipal offices, local governments, administrative bodies, corporations, universities, NPOs, and civil society) spanning a variety of fields. The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub has been commissioned by Chuo-Nittochi Co., Ltd. to conduct a trial project for the Toranomon Innovation Center concept in which it is responsible for supporting initiatives for public-private co-creation at the Public and Private Sector Co Creation Studio.

Introducing Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)

HGPI is a Tokyo-based independent and non-profit health policy think tank established in 2004. In its capacity as a neutral think-tank, HGPI involves stakeholders from wide-ranging fields of expertise to provide policy options to the public to successfully create citizen-focused healthcare policies. While holding fast to its independence to avoid being bound to the specific interests of political parties and other organizations, HGPI generates policy options that will be effective in Japan and around the world and actively pursues solutions to global health and health policy challenges.

Introducing SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd.

Established in January 2020 by Mr. Yasuhiro Sensho, a former health ministry bureaucrat at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) Health Policy Bureau, SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd. is a consulting firm focusing on health and long-term care. With the addition of Mr. Takakiyo Nishikawa, formerly an assistant manager at the MHLW, the company thrives on a wealth of experience. The focus of SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd. is to deliver top-tier consulting services in the realms of healthcare, long-term care, and public welfare. Committed to making a difference, they are actively engaged in disseminating and proposing means for citizens to see their needs reflected in policy.

In his capacity as CEO, Mr. Sensho engages in a variety of public activities, encompassing public speaking, writing articles, and serving as a council member of the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of the Environment. Notably, Mr. Sensho also publishes articles on m3.com, one of Japan’s most prominent information websites for healthcare professionals. He has also spoken at seminars organized by HGPI, The Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Associations of Japan, and the Japan Hospital Association.