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MEDISOA comprehensive portal site for Medical Innovation Support Office (MEDISO).Medical Innovation Support Office

厚生労働省

Knowledgeable experts support
the practical application of medicines,
medical devices,
and regenerative medicinal products.

2026年8月8日（土）～2026年8月17日（月）は、休業とさせていただきます。
この期間中にお受けしたお問い合せ・ご相談の申込みについては、休業明けに対応させていただきます。
何卒ご了承のほどお願いいたします。

What is MEDISO

MEDISO provides support for business ventures, academia,
and individuals intending to put into practical use medicines,
medical devices, and regenerative medicinal products.
Click here for further details.

About the Medical Innovation Support Office

The medical innovation support office matches medical venture companies and academic institutions facing challenges in the practical application of medical products and devices for specialists* who provide detailed consultation and support for solving problems at each stage from research and development to practical use, as well as insurance coverage at clinical sites, while looking ahead to the overall comprehensive advances and dissemination into the global market.
* Specialists in each field provide support for the response to laws and regulations, marketing, business planning, fund rasing, management strategy, intellectual property management, and international development, etc.

This website is operated by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., as a trustee under instructions from the Economic Affairs Division, Health Policy Bureau, and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as a part of the total support for the medical ventures program sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

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Support targets

Ventures, academic institutions, and individuals aiming to put into practical use the medicines, medical devices, regenerative medicinal products, and novel drug-discovery technologies or medical materials subject to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law.

Details of support

MEDISO provides support for the practical application of medicines, medical devices, regenerative medicinal products, and other products subject to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law.
That support includes business planning, financing, advice on laws and regulations, and other assistance as required.

Click here for inquiries

In case the link does not work, please contact us at the email address below
mediso@ml.mri.co.jp

Specialists Introduction

We will introduce registered specialists
(updated as necessary).

Taku Seriu

Seriu Medical Consulting Ltd. CEO
APCER Life Sciences. Senior Advisor to the Board
The Institute of Drug Development Career Promotion. Representative Director

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business planning
  • Business operation systems
  • Etc

A physician and Doctor of Medical Science, he began his career as an internist before leading clinical leukemia research at the Universities of Ulm and Heidelberg in Germany. After returning to Japan, he took on leadership roles including Head of Clinical Development at Nihon Schering, Executive Officer at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Executive Vice President and Board Member at Otsuka Pharmaceutical, where he oversaw drug development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, and quality assurance.
He has led the development, approval, and post-marketing activities of more than 50 therapeutics and diagnostics across oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and renal diseases, infectious diseases, and rare diseases, contributing to global launches and appropriate-use initiatives.
He currently serves as President of Seriu Medical Consulting and Senior Advisor at APCER Life Sciences, supporting R&D strategy, safety and risk management, organizational development, and new business planning. He also advises startups on development strategy, TPP creation, and fundraising pitch preparation, and has a strong track record in post-acquisition organizational integration, aligning cultures, talent, and processes. He teaches pharmaceutical medicine at several universities and is an editor and contributing author of Introduction to Pharmaceutical Medicine, the first textbook of its kind published in Japan. He continues to practice clinical medicine and remains committed to supporting those driving pharmaceutical innovation in Japan, guided by the principle: “Learn Together, Grow Together.”

Shinichi Watanabe

WNW IP ATTORNEYS

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Specialized support fields

Shinichi Watanabe began his career as a patent attorney in 2003, and with the valuable experience gained at global patent law firms. His practice primarily deals with filing and prosecution of domestic and international patent applications in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. Backed up by a wealth of practical experience and technical expertise, he is actively engaged in IP counselling and advises start-up pharmaceutical and biotech companies on patent filing strategies. Recently, he is interested in AI and machine learning, and now also working on support in the interdisciplinary area between life science, IT and AI.

Satoshi Ogawa

TMI Associates Partner (Attorney)

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems
  • Specialized support fields
  • Etc

Satoshi Ogawa, Ph.D., is a partner at TMI Associates specializing in life sciences and healthcare. After earning his Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Kyoto University, he joined TMI Associates as an attorney. Following a three-year secondment at a law firm in New Delhi, India, he has been based at TMI’s Kyoto Office since 2019. Dr. Ogawa advises both Japanese and international clients on cutting-edge technologies, including regenerative medicine, digital health, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. His work covers startup support, patent licensing, industry–academia collaboration, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property disputes. He works extensively with universities, startups, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, venture capital firms, and public institutions. He also serves as an advisor to BioCommunity Kansai (BiocK) and HVC KYOTO, and contributes to conflict-of-interest (COI) committees and institutional review boards (IRBs). Dr. Ogawa is passionate about advancing innovation and helping clients navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges in the life science ecosystem. His publications include “Startup Intellectual Property and Legal Guidebook – Key Points for Early-Stage Bio and Life Science Ventures” (METI-Kansai) and “Healthcare Business Legal Consultation Handbook” (Chuokeizai-sha).

Kensuke Suzuki

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Partner, Attorney-at-law

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems
  • Specialized support fields

Kensuke Suzuki is a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. He represents both domestic and international clients, with a special focus on cross-border transactions, with respect to pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare business, M&A and corporate transactions, fund formation and management, and financial regulations. With expert knowledge of the Japanese medical, pharmaceutical, medical device, and other various healthcare-related regulations, he advises on a wide variety of business activities in the broad healthcare sector, such as regulatory compliance, data protection, mergers and acquisitions, alliances, business startups, financing, licensing and other commercial transactions. He was admitted to the Japan Bar in 2000 and worked as visiting attorney at Kirkland & Ellis （Chicago） from 2006 to 2007. He served as a special adviser to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare from 2014 to 2015. He is fluent in Japanese and English.

Tamaki Nara

Lecturer, Medical Technology Innovation Center, Juntendo University
Director, Orbis Planning Co., Ltd.

Main specialty areas

  • medical devices

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Business operation systems

Master of Business Administration（MBA）. Field of expertise is innovation management. While working at a major precision equipment manufacturer, engaged in new business, product planning, and corporate planning. Mainly engaged in commercialization in the medical equipment and healthcare field (such as Medical IT), as well as the establishment and management of internal joint ventures. During this time, I became acutely aware of the great significance of building an appropriate collaborative development system between medical researchers and companies, and the necessity of a place for co-creation for both parties to work together. Since then, I have been involved in providing guidance on the implementation of research and development in the medical field and building plans for industry-academia collaboration, leveraging corporate technology and academia's knowledge at medical graduate schools and hospitals. Also have been supporting Start-ups mainly from academia.

About details of specialists

Introduction of measures implemented by public institutions

We will describe the measures from public institutions for pharmaceutical companies,
medical device companies, companies manufacturing regenerative medicinal products, and venture companies.

See more about measures implemented by public institutions