The outbreak of COVID-19 has not only revealed Japan’s lag in such areas including R&D of domestic vaccines and medicines, digitalization of its medical systems, and crisis management system itself, but also revealed the vulnerability in the global health system. Developing countries are also confronted with infection controls, which results in virus mutation and spread malaria, tuberculosis, and many other emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases.

Nikkei Inc. has been organizing the annual Nikkei FT Communicable Diseases Conference since 2014, gathering internationally renowned experts in the field; representatives of the private sector, academia and high-ranking government officials responsible for health, both within and outside Japan.

The 9th Conference is to be held on 15th -16th November, discussing how the global health communities should fight against communicable diseases, and how Japan can maximize its contribution. Through Nikkei group’s diverse media network, the concrete and practical action plans that had been proposed from the conference will be disseminated globally.