< Industry Strategy Planning Office >

It has been a year and a half since the Industry Strategy Planning Office was established in July 2010. In July 2011, we reviewed our activities and tasks for the year and determined new policies for the second year on which we have conducted activities. The policies, activity results and our future approach are introduced below.

1. Second Year’s Basic Policies and New Activities

Fig. 1. Three priority tasks and three activities

As the first task for the first year, we have promoted the Industry Strategy Planning Office’s activities, such as preparing a medical imaging IT map, examining the present situation of telemedical service and its problems, carrying out a questionnaire survey on a “new growth strategy” and the development of a medical-related business for member companies, and presenting hypotheses regarding the future directionality of the industry of medical devices including medical imaging systems.
For the second year, we decided that we would enhance and promote “presenting recommendations to the Government for the growth of the radiological system industry from a mid-term standpoint”, which is the original purpose of establishment, and set three priority tasks and three activities as our new activities to conduct (see Figure 1).

(1) Three priority tasks
For the mainstay of growth of the medical imaging system industry, we have set three priority tasks: (i) Promotion of medical imaging IT; (ii) Enhancement of diagnostic imaging modality; and (iii) Overseas business development (especially in Asia).

(2) Content of three activities
To work on the priority tasks, we have set specific content of three activities: (i) Framing of the medical imaging system industry vision 2012 (JIRA Industry Vision 2012); (ii) Building a network of connections with, and collecting information from, medical personnel, the government and related industries; and (iii) Holding lecture meetings and symposiums that will lead to industrial promotion.

(3) Strengthening of continuous activities
We will establish strategic public relations and research activities, which we have been working on as part of the mission-critical task of the Industry Strategy Planning Office, as continuous activities, thereby even more enhancing this strategy. We will promote the strategy while strengthening the cooperation with related panel committees.

2. Activity Situation

2.1 Making Recommendations

Fig. 2. Gist of recommendations to the Medical Innovation Promotion Office

(1) Making recommendations to the Medical Innovation Promotion Office
Upon cabinet approval of the “new growth strategy” (June 2010) and establishment of the “Council on Promotion of New Growth Strategy” (September 2010), the “Medical Innovation Promotion Office” was inaugurated at the Cabinet Secretariat (January 2011). JIRA members also joined in the medical device working groups set up under this promotion office and called for “implementation of medical innovation through medical devices and medical IT.” Giving first priority to recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake which occurred just then, we compiled the “medical industry growth strategy aiming to medically recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake and create an ideal medical environment for future and implement medical innovation from Japan along with its overseas development.” We submitted it (see Figure 2) as a recommendation, jointly with Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), to the Medical Innovation Promotion Office (April 2011).

Fig. 3. Cover and contents of “Radiological System Industry”

(2) Strengthening contact with administrative agencies, etc.

(i) We prepared “Medical imaging System Industry” compiling the present situation, achievements, recommendations, etc. of JIRA related industries, as a presentation tool (see Figure 3).

(ii) We participated in the study meeting of the medical industry forum consisted by junior Diet lawmakers of the DPJ and LDP, together with industries associations such as the Japan Federation of Medical Devices Associations (July 2011) and explained the “medical imaging system industry”, particularly conveying the situation and issues of the medical IT industry and our requests to the government.

(iii) We visited the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) where we explained the current condition of the “medical imaging system industry” and exchanged opinions, making them understand again the present situation and problems of the medical imaging system industry and JIRA’s activities. From the beginning of 2012, study meetings on medical devices will be held and the members to present the meetings are MHLW’s medical industry related sections, centering around the Medical Devices Policy Office, Economic Affairs Division, Health Policy Bureau, and industries associations related to medical devices. JIRA was also appointed to participate in the meetings where we will not only convey our requests to address various issues of the medical device industry again, but also have discussion for mutual understanding.

(iv) We explained the “medical imaging system industry” for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and exchanged opinions for mutual understanding of expansion of the medical device industry. We also think that the basic concept plan and its tasks for the medical imaging system development proposed by the medical imaging IT industry promotion working group (IMIT-WG) at the skull practice with METI in February 2011 were taken up as part of the particular of “Toward creation of new amalgamated industries”, which was disclosed by METI in August 2011. Furthermore, in the same month, METI conducted hearings with JIRA on a theme “amalgamation of medical care and IT to take measures for creation of new amalgamated industries”, allowing us to present again the concept of JIRA about medical IT and medical imaging systems.

2.2 Framing of “JIRA Industry Vision 2012”

We decided the frame, scope and landing site for JIRA Industry Vision 2012 as described below. We will begin to prepare material for further discussion based on them and draw up “JIRA Industry Vision 2012”.

(1) Frame

(i) Present a future vision for the medical imaging system industry.

(ii) Present tasks to implement the future vision.

(iii) Present a road map and a schedule for taking measures.

(2) Scope

(i) Draw up a vision in the area for medical imaging systems.

(ii) Also study businesses not eligible for medical fee reimbursement in the “seeping-out area” from the medical imaging system industry by getting an overview of the entire medical care as well as the entire healthcare.

(iii) Extensively research the business areas of (i) and (ii), centering around IT related tasks.

(3) Landing site

(i) Following 2003’s “Medical Device Industry Vision” and 2008’s “New Medical Device and Medical Technology Industry Vision” compiled by MHLW, we will encourage the ministry to draw up a vision for 2013 and to incorporate the JIRA recommendations into a vision.

(ii) While observing the follow-ups of the existing administrative strategies and measures, such as the “new growth strategy” and “five-year strategy”, and the movements such as reframing, we will draw up JIRA’s own vision including operations in the areas under the control of METI and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

2.3 Strengthening of Continuous Mission-critical Tasks

(1) Strategic public relations
For the purpose of social recognition of JIRA’s various recommendations and operations, we strategically promote public relations as part of our policy recommendation activities while considering the timing, media and effect in a comprehensive manner.

(i) Support of JIRA’s policy recommendation activities and recognition of activities
In April 2011, we began to distribute “News Release” to mass media and post it on our website. In September 2011, we set a special page for “News Release” on the website, allowing outsiders and members to continuously browse the pages.

(ii) Strengthening of contact points between the industrial arena and press
We promote holding of a quarterly “regular press conference” in cooperation with the Public Relations Committee.
Following the New Year’s view presentation in January 2011, we offered the press presentation at a JIRA’s general meeting in cooperation with the Public Relations Committee in June 2011, as an opportunity to formally declare the “Year 2011 Basic Policy for Activities.” We made presentations about “Industrial sector’s attending to the Great East Japan Earthquake” and “Recommendations to revise medical reimbursement based on three kinds of assurance – safety, accuracy and operation.” This article was inserted in specialized magazines for medical imaging (3 magazines), membership websites for medical doctors (2 websites), daily economic newspapers (2 newspapers), and the website of the Welfare Policy Information Center.
Nine news organizations attended the First JIRA Medical Imaging System Industrial Seminar held in November 2011, and later the articles on the seminar were released .

(iii) Collection and dispatching of information relating to the medical imaging system industry
We extract and organize information that is mainly news on administrative measures and overseas market trends, and send emails daily on such information to the members of the policy planning conference.

(2) Research activities

(i) We have conducted the following research activities and posted reports on JIRA Website.

(ii) Future activities
We will aim to conduct research activities directly contributing to recommendations based on the activity plan and progress situation of the Industry Strategy Planning Office and panel committees.