Tetsuro Okuno is Chief Coordinator for the Promotion of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices at Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

He has served in the Ministry since 2009 and brings extensive experience in healthcare policy, pharmaceutical regulation, and health system development.

Throughout his career, Tetsuro has worked on a broad range of healthcare initiatives such as developing regional hospital allocation models, reforming physician distribution policies, establishing regulatory frameworks for telemedicine, and leading the implementation of Japan’s national electronic prescription (e-prescription) system.

Prior to his current role, he served at the Mission of Japan to the European Union, where he contributed to strengthening collaboration between Japan and the European Union in the pharmaceutical sector.

In his current role, Tetsuro is responsible for advancing policies that support the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, strengthen access to essential medicines and technologies, and promote innovation across Japan’s healthcare ecosystem.