Osaka has a history spanning approximately 400 years as the “City of Medicine.” Today, it is home to a compact cluster of outstanding universities, research institutions, and pharmaceutical companies, all within a 20-kilometer radius centered around Osaka.

Leveraging these strengths, Osaka Prefecture established the “Osaka Bio Headquarters” in 2008 as a command center to further develop the health and medical industries. This initiative consists of the “Osaka Bio Strategy Promotion Council,” composed of top industry, academia, and government leaders in the prefecture, and the Life Science Industry Division of Osaka Prefecture, which manages the headquarters’ operations.

The Osaka Bio Strategy Promotion Council set a goal of forming a world-class cluster centered in northern Osaka. To achieve this, the council formulated the “Osaka Bio Strategy” as a common strategy for all participating organizations to pursue collaboratively.

Since then, the Osaka Bio Headquarters has worked to create an environment that fosters the growth of local companies. Initiatives include forming networks with overseas clusters to support global expansion, providing business-matching opportunities with international companies, and strengthening information dissemination to showcase Osaka’s potential in the life sciences sector.

The goal of forming a world-class cluster in northern Osaka, outlined in the “Osaka Bio Strategy,” was carried forward into the “New Strategy for the Regeneration and Growth of Osaka,” developed by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City in 2020. One of its key focus areas is establishing the health and medical industries as leading sectors.

“I want to make the Hokusetsu region in northern Osaka a global hub for life sciences.” This vision was originally proposed by the late Yuichi Yamamura, former president of Osaka University. I am committed to carrying on this vision, striving to contribute to the formation of a global cluster through the unified efforts of all stakeholders in Osaka.

I encourage you to keep an eye on the future activities of the Osaka Bio Headquarters and sincerely ask for your continued support.

October 2022