On January 22, 2021, the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) held a symposium to discuss the expectations of the public for Japan’s healthcare system based on findings from public opinion research undertaken from November 2020.

Since the achievement of universal health coverage in 1961, Japan’s healthcare system has supported the growth of the one of the healthiest and longest living populations in the world. However, the system is now facing a number of issues, including an increase in the number of elderly people it serves (who tend to require relatively higher medical costs), a decline in the size of the working population that supports the system, and a rise in healthcare costs due to greater use of advanced medical technology.

Without reform, the gap between the cost of care and payments into the system will expand. Furthermore, Japan’s robust healthcare system is essential to minimize the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As such, greater debate is needed on the sustainability of the system. Within that debate, it is important to ask the Japanese public what it wants from its healthcare system. Decisions on the balance of cost, access, and quality provided by the system should consider public opinion.

At this symposium, leading experts in Japan discussed public aspirations for Japan’s healthcare system and the sustainability of the system. This symposium also addressed the issue of how to communicate public opinion to policymakers, and the challenges that the public faces in order to participate in healthcare policy formation.

A detailed report is currently being created around the discussion at this symposium. That report will be posted below in the future.

 

■Overview
Date: Friday, January 22, 2021
Organizer: Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)
This symposium was made possible thanks to the generous support of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, Gilead Science K.K., and Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.

 

■Program
Opening Remarks (Video Message)

• Yasutoshi Nishimura (Member of the House of Representatives / Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization / Minister in charge of Social Security Reform / Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy)

Presentation “Results of Research into Public Opinion on the Healthcare System”

• Matt McEnany (HGPI Senior Manager)

Keynote Speech 1 “Creating a Social Security System Oriented to All Generations / The Government’s Perspective on Japan’s Future”

• Kentaro Enomoto (Deputy Director General (Health Policy), Minister’s Secretariat, MHLW)

Keynote Speech 2 “Creating a Social Security System Oriented to All Generations / The Government’s Perspective on Japan’s Future”

• Yoshinori Hiroi (Professor, Kokoro Research Center Kyoto University)

Panel Discussion “Co-creating a Better Society with the Public”

Panelists:

• Satoshi Imamura (Vice President, Japan Medical Association)
• Kentaro Enomoto (Deputy Director General (Health Policy), Minister’s Secretariat, MHLW)
• Kenichi Oi (Executive Director and Program Director, Cancer Support Community)
• Kohei Takashima (Chair, Committee on Social Security Reform from the Perspective of the Generation Seeing Increased Costs, Japan Association of Corporate Executives / Representative Director, CEO, Oisix ra daichi Inc.)
• Yoshinori Hiroi (Professor, Kokoro Research Center Kyoto University)

Moderator:

• Yuiko Kondo (Senior Associate, HGPI)

Closing Remarks

• Kiyoshi Kurokawa (HGPI Chairman)

 

 

■Related events held as part of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” project (chronological order)

October 16, 2019 First Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: Measures to Increase Spending Efficiency

November 5, 2019 Rethinking Social Security: Ensuring an Ideal Balance between Health Insurance Benefits and Premiums – A Multistakeholder Conversation on Japan’s Universal Healthcare System

November 18, 2019 Second Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: Measures to Effectively Control Costs for Research and Development and to Improve Market Access

December 12, 2019 Third Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: The Further Development of Push and Pull Incentives for Innovation

January 16, 2020 Fourth Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: Measures to Strengthen the Information Base / Data Infrastructure to Better Inform Policy Debates

February 17, 2020 Fifth Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: Innovative Financing Mechanisms to Help Fund New Treatments and Health Interventions

March 16, 2020 Sixth Meeting of the “Rebalancing Healthcare Systems: Innovation and Sustainability” Taskforce: Value Based Medicine – Philosophy and Methods

June 2, 2020 Expert roundtable to debate policy recommendations on the social security system toward the era of a 100-Year Life Society – Considering How to Structure Healthcare after COVID-19 in Terms of Emergencies Caused by the Pandemic – “Eliminating Waste While Ensuring Access to the Highest Quality of Medical Care”

June 4, 2020 Expert roundtable to debate policy recommendations on the social security system toward the era of a 100-Year Life Society – Considering How to Structure Healthcare after COVID-19 in Terms of Emergencies Caused by the Pandemic – “Investments Needed to Improve the Health of the Public”