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

厚生労働省

相談申込みについて
サポーターの紹介
今月のホットトピック

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.

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).

Nao Yoshizawa

GRiT Partners Law offices/Willsame.co.ltd/Cabinet office advisor for National bioecnomy strategy/Keio university Medical school

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

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

After leaving the law firm Nishimura Asahi, [the individual] established the law firm GRiT Partners and assumed the role of managing partner. They also serve as the representative of Willsame Corporation and hold qualifications as a lawyer, patent attorney, CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner), Applied Information Technology Engineer, Information Processing Security Support Engineer, and IT Strategist. They have served as a committee member for the formulation of standards in electronic commerce and related information transactions at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as an expert in the Cabinet Office's bioecnomy strategy, and as an advisor to Biock. They have been involved in the establishment of the Japan Chapter of Aging2.0 in Silicon Valley and served as a mentor for Alchemist Accelerator. A graduate of the law faculty at Hitotsubashi University, they completed intellectual property and machine learning programs at Stanford University, as well as multiple AI programs at MIT. They serve as a program committee member for the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Tokyo and the Medical Innovation Human Resources Development Course at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. With a deep understanding of international perspectives on digital health, they provide advisory support for startups and pharmaceutical companies' DX (Digital Transformation) programs. They founded the Life Science Incubation Council and focus on launching projects and connecting them with ecosystems both domestically and internationally.

Kunishige Masui

Managing Partner

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Funding
  • Specialized support fields

Graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo Law School, and University of California, Irvine LLM. 2014 - 2021 at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu; 2020 - 2021 at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (US law firm). Established Masui & Partners in December 2021. Mr. Kunishige Masui assisted numerous startups, from angel rounds to companies nearing IPO, and has also assisted in the launch of many new businesses, including cross-border localization. He is well versed in the legal and financing issues that arise for startups and new business development, and provides support as a mentor for JETRO, Healthcare Innovation Hub, Kawasaki-NEDO Innovation Center (K-NIC), Venture Café Tokyo, and IDEC. In addition to providing easy-to-understand explanations of foreign legal systems in comparison to those in Japan, he also specializes in removing obstacles to business growth by not only providing answers to "points that clients have actually consulted with" but also by digging into "points that need attention that clients are not yet aware of.”

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.

Akiko Yamamoto

Nissan Chemical Corporation
Risk Management &Compliance Office
Risk Management Department

Main specialty areas

  • medicines

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business operation systems
  • Etc

Graduated from the Department of Pharmacy at Kyoritsu Collage of Pharmacy (currently Keio University) and received a Ph.D. from Gifu Pharmaceutical University. Engaged in work related to each process of pharmaceutical life cycle (research and development, sales promotion, licensing/alliance, quality assurance and Good Vigilance Practice(GVP)) at Nissan Chemical Corporation. Especially, as the corporate quality assurance department leader, managed the company's pharmaceutical quality system, and maintained and improved appropriate quality assurance systems for API manufacturing sites, manufacturing contractors, and contract testing facilities. Specifically, provided support during FDA inspections and global pharma quality audits, and advised on improvements and response policies for issues raised. Also has experience in implementing regulations and change processes when adding starting material, intermediate and API manufacturing sites, and testing facilities. In addition, has reviewed documents such as license and quality assurance-related contract contents, change applications and master files to be submitted to authorities.

Takahiro Mizumoto

Ant innovations Co., Ltd

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems
  • Specialized support fields

Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Master’s Program in Intellectual Property Management.
After passing the Japanese Patent Attorney Examination, gained venture investment experience in high-tech sectors including IT and healthcare at NIFS SMBC Capital (later split into Daiwa Corporate Investment and SMBC Venture Capital).
Subsequently joined Showa Shell Sekiyu, where he led the planning and development of multiple new services spanning payment solutions, retail electricity, and mobile app businesses. With the launch of the University of Tokyo Innovation Platform (UTokyo IPC), he joined the firm and founded 1stRound, a cross-university incubation program. He later spearheaded the establishment of an approximately JPY 25 billion open-innovation promotion fund and served as its Chief Investment Officer.
In November 2025, he founded Ant Innovations, a newly established venture capital firm and subsidiary of the private equity firm Ant Capital Partners, and assumed the role of Representative Director and Partner.

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