The medical industry is one of the hardest to disrupt. In some ways, that’s a good thing. Lives are literally at stake, so there’s a good argument to be made for being conservative and taking things slowly. But looking at the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in Japan—and the health systems of all developed nations—it becomes obvious that not only can improvements be made, but that they must be made. (From the February 2021 issue of The ACCJ Journal.)

Looking back, 2020 was a year unlike any other. For the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Healthcare Committee, despite starting the year with a clear seat of priorities, the coronavirus pandemic forced us to shift our focus early on. Our advocacy agenda quickly took on the important challenge of ensuring the stable supply of medicines and medical equipment, and what used to be in-person events went fully virtual—a first for the Healthcare Committee. (From the February 2021 issue of The ACCJ Journal.)