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

Hiroshi Morita

Aquaxis Law Office Special Counsel Patent Attorney (Qualified IP Litigator)
Pharmacist

Hiroshi Morita is a Japanese Patent Attorney and licensed pharmacist with broad knowledge of and experience in patent applications, trials and appeals, expert opinions, and litigation in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceutical formulations, and biochemistry. Drawing on his extensive experience as Head of Intellectual Property at Astellas Pharma Inc., Mr. Morita has deep expertise in the life sciences sector, including securing product exclusivity through the strategic utilization of intellectual property rights and life-cycle management, worldwide patent filing and prosecution, patentability and freedom-to-operate evaluations for in-licensing and out-licensing transactions, formulation of IP strategies, domestic and international IP disputes, and liaison activities. Throughout his corporate career and thereafter, he has also been actively involved in supporting and advising startup and venture companies on intellectual property strategy, particularly through collaborative research projects and technology commercialization initiatives.

Yutaka Tomioka

Project Researcher, Department for the Promotion of Medical Device Innovation, National Cancer Center Hospital East.
Chief Regulatory Scientist, ayumo Inc.
Chief Development Officer / Director, Atransen Technologies, Inc.
Senior Specialist, Premo Partners, Inc.

Ph.D. (Engineering). I began my career at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), where I worked in medical device review and reliability inspection (reliability standards compliance inspections and on-site GCP inspections for medical devices). My responsibilities included the approval review, consultation services, and reliability inspections for a wide range of medical devices, including novel medical devices. Drawing on my 10 years of experience at the regulatory authority, I moved to National Cancer Center Hospital East in July 2019 to support the development of medical devices originating in Japan. At National Cancer Center Hospital East, I supported medical device development led by both academic institutions and companies. I left my full-time position at National Cancer Center Hospital East at the end of 2025, and joined ayumo Inc. in January 2026 (current position), where I lead the regulatory affairs team.I also joined Atransen Technologies, Inc. in May 2026 (current position). I currently hold part-time positions at National Cancer Center Hospital East, Yokohama City University, and the National Defense Medical College, while also supporting a number of startups, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, academic institutions, and small manufacturing workshops (machi-koba) in Ota Ward, Tokyo.

Akiyo Inoko Hewett

Inoko Law and Consulting, LLC　Principal Attorney

Akiyo is an international attorney licensed in both Japan and the United States. She has extensive experience advising Japanese companies on U.S. legal matters. She began her legal career at an Am Law 200 U.S. law firm, where she advised Japanese companies of all sizes and their U.S. subsidiaries on a broad range of legal matters, including corporate governance, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and compliance. She later joined AI Medical Service Inc., a Japanese healthcare startup, where she supported global commercial agreements, regulatory compliance, and the company's U.S. operations. As a Fractional General Counsel, she now advises multiple Japanese healthcare startups on U.S. market entry, business expansion, regulatory compliance, and day-to-day legal and operational matters.

Takeshi komatani

Takeshi S Komatani is currently principal litigation certified patent attorney in the field of chemical/pharma and bio/life sciences at a patent law firm, and has a number of counsels, including in academia, start-ups and big pharma internationally. Takeshi received his PhD from the University of Tokyo, Japan, received his LLB and LLM (global legal practice) from Keio University, and is currently a visiting professor at Kobe University, teaching IP strategy in entrepreneurship and Doshisha University (Kyoto). He has completed CEIPI Summer School on IP (University of Strasbourg), France. He is also qualified as a pharmacist with a certificate of Kampo and natural medicines specialist qualification. He was a researcher at F Hoffmann-La Roche in Basle, Switzerland. He has completed the EU-recognised PharmaTrain course at Osaka University, and is qualified as a board-certified member of the Japanese Association of Pharmaceutical Medicine. He is a member of the AIPPI and vice chair of TRIPS SC and a member of IP-GRTK SC and Pharma SC, and a member of the editorial board of the Pharmaceutical Patent Analyst (UK). He is also a member of JPAA, APAA, IPAJ, PSA, JPA, CSAIP and AAAS. He has lectured in academia, including at Japanese and German universities and WIPO Academy, and contributed to a number of articles.

Shinji Ogino

Kanjin Therapeutics Inc. COO
Kanjin Therapeutics K.K.　Represenative Director

Global COO of Kanjin Therapeutics — a biotech developing nucleic acid therapeutics for kidney disease, structured as a U.S. Delaware C-Corp with a Japanese subsidiary — and Representative Director of its Japanese entity. After working in translational research, I broadened my focus into corporate strategy, post-merger integration, and alliances, advancing drug　development research from experience spanning both science and business. My areas of focus are research and business planning, fundraising, and cross-border U.S.–Japan alliances and out-licensing. I am glad to advise on business strategy on early drug-discovery assets and on global operation and partnering strategies.