On June 30, 2025, leading voices in public health, policy, business, and academia from around the world gathered at EXPO 2025 Osaka for PHSSR’s Global Summit, “Co-designing Stronger Health Systems: Transforming Care for All,” as part of the Expo’s Health and Well-Being Week.
The Summit centered on how health systems can strengthen early action on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with new evidence from Japan shared by Prof. Shuhei Nomura, professor at Keio University and CAPRI Senior Fellow. “The challenges Japan faces are interrelated, and addressing them requires an integrated approach at the system level,” Prof. Nomura reflected. “This means multiple stakeholders must be involved, from patients and providers to the private sector and communities.”
Drawing from a forthcoming Japan policy roadmap on NCDs, speakers discussed proactive prevention and early intervention strategies for chronic diseases, which will become more prevalent as population aging accelerates worldwide. Prof. Nomura and other experts highlighted system-level improvements underway in Japan and worldwide, emphasizing the need for evidence-based policymaking to prepare for future challenges.
The Summit then explored the advancements, challenges, and opportunities in healthcare digitization while ensuring equity and enhancing societal trust. Drawing from our PHSSR summary report of eight Asia-Pacific health systems, CAPRI board member Prof. Chang-Chuan Chan discussed the importance of digital health tools for navigating public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared insights on digital health and AI use in Asia-Pacific health systems like Taiwan and South Korea’s as well as the critical role of telemedicine in increasing access to healthcare across the Asia Pacific.
Despite this progress, Prof. Chan noted that challenges remain, including fragmented data, unequal infrastructure, and public concerns over data security. “To truly strengthen health system resilience by using data and digital tools, patients must meaningfully benefit when their data is used,” Prof. Chan reminded the audience, pointing out the importance of upgrading technological infrastructure to continue to protect data security and maintain public trust in health system governance.
Opening Remarks:
Michel Demaré, Non-Executive Chair of the Board, AstraZeneca PLC
Keizo Takemi, House of Councillors of Japan, former Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Elias Mossialos, Cheng Yu Tung Chair in Global Health, LSE Health Director, Department of Health Policy Hiroaki Miyata, Professor, Health Policy and Management, Keio University School of Medicine
Session 1: Acting early on NCDs
Speakers:
Koichi Fukunaga, Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine
Reiko Hayashi, Director-General, National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan
Shigekazu Komoto, Professor, Department of Health Policy and Evaluation, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
Shuhei Nomura, Specially appointed Professor, Global Research Institute, Keio University; Senior Fellow, CAPRI
Ryoji Noritake, Chair, Health and Global Policy Institute
Jun Sasaki, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Medical Director, Yushokai Medical Corporation; Expert Member, Council for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform
Yasuhiro Suzuki, President, International University of Health and Welfare; Former Vice-Minister for Health, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Hiromi Todoroki, President, certified NPO organization, Kibo-no-kai
Shoichiro Tsugane, Professor, Graduate School of Public Health, International University of Health and Welfare; Former Director of the Centre for Research on Society and Health, National Cancer Centre
Session 2: Accelerating healthcare digitisation
Speakers:
Chang-Chuan Chan, Distinguished Professor, National Taiwan University; Board member, CAPRI
Hitoshi Fukuhara, Representative Director, Heart Valve Voice
Takafumi Horii, President and Representative Director, AstraZeneca K.K.
Mamoru Ichikawa, A Healthcare Communicator; Associate Professor, Department of Media Sociology, Faculty of Sociology, Musashi University; Executive Board Member, Japan Medical Journalists Association
Hiroyuki Komatsu, Head of Business Innovation, Roche Diagnostics Japan
Makiko Nakamuro, Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University
Elias Mossialos, Cheng Yu Tung Chair in Global Health, LSE Health Director, Department of Health Policy
Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, VP, Global Head of Govt. and Public Affairs, Philips
Yusuke Tsugawa, Associate Professor of Medicine and Health Policy and Management, UCLA
Hiroyuki Uchiyama, Assistant Vice-Minister for Pharmaceutical Industry Promotion and Medical Information Management
Fumihiko Ugajin, President, IQVIA Japan
Closing Remarks
Masaaki Taira, Minister for Digital, Minister for Cyber Security
The Rt. Hon the Lord Lansley CBD, Member of the House of Lords, UK
Emil Levendoǧlu, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Tokyo
