On March 2, 2017, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) hosted its 35th special breakfast meeting. The meeting featured Mr. Yasuo Otani, Advisor to the Kanagawa Prefectural Government and Executive Director of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). Mr. Otani gave a speech explaining the Kanagawa Medical Innovation School (MIS).

In this Special Breakfast Meeting, Mr. Otani introduced MIS, a new public health school set to open in 2019 that will foster global and public health experts who can bring about social system and technological innovations toward the realization of Kanagawa Prefecture’s Healthcare New Frontier Policy. 

Mr. Otani explained Kanagawa Prefecture’s Healthcare New Frontier Policy, which is intended to help Japanese society overcome the burden of sudden social changes caused by the advent of a super aged society and enable the creation of a society in which everyone can live active and healthy lives.

Following Mr. Otani’s speech, Dr. Kenji Shuto, Special Assistant to the Governor of Kanagawa Prefectural Government and Director of the Healthcare New Frontier Policy Initiative, explained the vision of MIS and the tentative curricula being developed. He also talked about how MIS can contribute to the development of global and public health experts.

A vibrant discussion was held between speakers and participants on the Healthcare New Frontier Policy core concept of “ME-BYO” (the idea that systems should focus on addressing transition phases between health and sickness), as well as the need to find a balance between advanced health technology and sustainability when pursuing innovation. High expectations for the development of global public health experts were expressed by the participants.