Thu, November 12, 2015 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM IRVING K. BARBER LEARNING CENTRE. 
Speaker: Kiyoshi Kurokawa, MD, MACP
Adjunct professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Chairman of Health and Global Policy Institute
Chair of Board, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund
Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo
While development of innovation brings about major changes to our daily life, issues such as the spread of infectious diseases as well as malnutrition and poverty in developing countries still remain unresolved. As a result, the gap between developed and developing countries continues to widen. The same can be said for post-war Japan when infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and a filarial disease were quite widespread in the country. However, Japanese people became the first in the world to overcome these challenges through tackling a crisis together as well as through their efforts in research and development, and by conducting innovative reforms including their social system. Based on Japan’s own past experience, the country has been making tremendous contributions toward the amelioration of global public health and the eradication of infectious diseases.
In 2013, the Government of Japan and five Japanese pharmaceutical companies formally-inaugurated a public-private partnership named Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) aimed at enhancing Japan’s contributions in the field of intenational health by exercising Japan’s innovative capabilities.
Dr. Kurokawa, Board Chairman of the GHIT Fund will discuss how globalization and innovation impacts society in both positive and negative ways. He is also going to look at how countries such as Japan and Canada that lead the world in innovation should actively collaborate on international health by utilizing innovation.
Co-Sponsored by the UBC Centre for Japanese Research, Liu Institute for Global Issues, School of Population Health and Public Health; and the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver.