Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan think tank, has long been committed to addressing challenges in health and social security. By harnessing the collective intelligence of diverse stakeholders, HGPI aims to present new options for society, fostering citizen-centered health policy.

Japan’s social security system is currently facing structural challenges, including rapid population aging and a shrinking working-age population. With the increasing demand for healthcare and long-term care services due to the growing number of elderly aged 75 and over, social security benefits are projected to reach 190 trillion yen by 2040. Coupled with labor shortages due to the declining workforce, this trend threatens to increase the burden on the working generation and jeopardize the sustainability of the system. On the other hand, proactive efforts are being made by government and private sector experts to address these issues. Technological innovation is accelerating in healthcare and long-term care, giving rise to new services and system innovations. Moreover, policies and initiatives aimed at realizing a symbiotic society are being implemented nationwide, offering hope for a brighter future. These efforts have the potential not only to position Japan’s healthcare and elderly care industries as growth sectors but also to revitalize regional communities.

In the past, the National Council on Social Security System Reform, established in 2012, deliberated on the sustainability and future direction of the social security system from a long-term perspective. These discussions laid the foundation for Japan’s social security policy by seeking the optimal balance between “self-help, mutual assistance, and public help” while pursuing system enhancement and efficiency. Building on that momentum, the Meetings on a Social Security System Oriented to All Generations are currently advancing these discussions further. Additionally, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare unveiled the “Future Health and Active Society Strategy” in 2024, presenting a concrete vision for achieving a sustainable social security system. This strategy identifies three primary goals: promoting the growth of the healthcare and long-term care industries, harnessing innovation for societal benefit, and creating a society where individuals can lead healthy and active lives.

Against this backdrop of emerging changes, we have provided a platform for future-oriented discussions through the “HGPI Salon 2025” held in 2025. Under the Chatham House Rule, participants engaged in free and candid dialogue, generating insights and ideas for policy formation through an active exchange of opinions. In 2026, we will expand upon the discussions held during HGPI Salon 2025 by launching “HGPI Salon 2025-2026.” This series will focus on exploring the value of healthcare in a shifting social landscape and envisioning the next generation of medical care. Furthermore, we will delve deeper into the challenges of health policy by revisiting infectious disease control. Ultimately, by synthesizing these discussions, we aim to re-examine the realization of citizen-centered health policy, which remains the core mission of our institute.

In this session, Dr. Shigeru Omi, who has long been deeply involved in infectious disease countermeasures both in Japan and internationally, and who served as one of the leading experts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, widely described as a once-in-a-century public health crisis, will reflect on Japan’s health crisis management system through the lens of the COVID-19 experience, and discuss what will be required of the crisis response system going forward.

The HGPI Salon provides a positive space to share challenges in healthcare and social security while collaboratively exploring solutions for the future. The event is supported by participation fees, which are exclusively allocated to venue and operational expenses. Individual supporting members can attend free of charge. We warmly invite you to join us in envisioning a brighter future for Japan’s social security system.

[Event Information]

• Session 7 Speakers:
  Guest Speaker: Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
  Moderator: Honoka Hiraka (Senior Associate, HGPI)
• Date & Time: Friday, December 18, 2026; 19:00-21:00 JST (Check-in opens at 18:45)
• Format: In-person Only
• Venue: International House of Japan
  (5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032)
  * Please note that the venue has changed from last year.
• Rules: Chatham House Rule
• Language: Japanese only
• Participation Fees:
  • Individual Supporting Members and Students (undergraduates only): Free
  • General Participants: ¥4,400 (Credit card payments only)
  * Light refreshments will be provided at the venue. Participation fees will be fully allocated to operational and venue costs.
• Capacity: 80 participants (priority given to individual supporting members; lottery-based selection if applications exceed capacity)

 

Registration Deadline:
Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 11:59 JST

* Please enter the required information, such as your name and email address, via the “Please register here” button. An automatic confirmation email will be sent after your registration. If you do not receive the email, please contact the HGPI secretariat at info@hgpi.org.

Notification of Lottery Results:
Friday, December 4, 2026 by 15:00 JST

* This event is limited to 80 participants. If the number of applications exceeds the capacity, participants will be selected by lottery, and successful applicants will be notified by email. Individual supporting members will be given priority in the selection process.

 

[Program]

19:00-19:05 Introduction

HGPI Salon Team

19:05-19:10 Opening Remarks

Yui Kohno (Manager, HGPI)

19:10-20:30 Cross-Session
*An interactive discussion involving presentations and audience participation.

Speaker: Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
Moderator: Honoka Hiraka (Senior Associate, HGPI)
Theme: “Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going: Lessons from Pandemic Response”

20:30-21:00 Reception

 

■Profile:

Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
Dr. Shigeru Omi graduated from Jichi Medical University in 1978. He served as Regional Director of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office in 1999 and WHO Executive Board member from 2009. In 2014, he became President of the Japan Community Health Care Organization (JCHO) and established the NPO “All Generations” in September 2015. In February 2020, Dr. Omi served as Vice Chairman of the Expert Advisory Panel on COVID-19 Countermeasures. In April 2021, he became Chairman of the Basic Response Policy Subcommittee of the Novel Influenza and Other Infectious Diseases Response Promotion Council. Since April 2022, he has been serving as Representative Director of the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA) and Honorary President of JCHO. Since June of the same year until present, he has also been serving as President of JATA.

Honoka Hiraka (Senior Associate, HGPI)
After completing the Nursing Degree Program at the Hokkaido University School of Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences and earning her nursing license, Ms. Honoka Hiraka enrolled in the Public Health Course at the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine and later obtained a Master of Medical Science degree from that same university. She began her career as a volunteer Public Health Officer for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where she served in the Republic of Zambia in Africa. After returning to Japan, she joined a hospital where she served as a nurse. Ms. Hiraka joined Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) after developing a strong interest in health systems and health policy through her experiences in clinical and real-world healthcare settings in Japan and overseas. At HGPI, she is currently responsible for projects related to global health, dementia, and support for patients and others with lived experience of health concerns.

■Upcoming Salon Sessions:

• [DONE] Session 5 (June 29, 2026):
  “The Value of Healthcare in Society: Perspectives from the Reiwa Era”
  Speaker: Ataru Igarashi (Fellow, HGPI)
• [DONE] Session 6 (October 13, 2026):
  “Japan’s Health Policy through the Lens of Global Security”
  Speaker: Yoshiyuki Sagara (Senior Research Fellow, The Institute of Geoeconomics)
• Session 7 (December 18, 2026):
  “Building a Policy Foundation for the Next Health Crisis”
  Speaker: Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
• Session 8 (February 19, 2027):
  “The Future of ‘Healthcare’ Japanese Society Aspires To”
  Speaker: Shinsuke Muto (Vice Chairman, HGPI)

*To register as a supporting member, please check this link.
**Please note that if there are still available seats at the time of the application deadline, the registration period may be extended. However, as a general rule, we are unable to accommodate individual participation requests after the deadline. Thank you for your understanding.

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