SORA Technology Co.,Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture; Founder and CEO: Yosuke Kaneko; hereinafter referred to as SORA Technology), a company tackling global health and climate change issues using AI and aerospace technology, participated as a member company in the initiative “Business Leaders Supporting Global Health.” The group paid a courtesy visit to Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Keizo Takemi, requesting an expansion of Japan’s ODA expenditures in the field of global health.
The request included six specific actions to strengthen support for R&D aimed at solving global health challenges and to promote the procurement of Japanese products and services.

Presentation of the Request to Japanese Minister Takemi

Six Specific Actions Requested:

１）Strengthen support for R&D that addresses global health challenges by leveraging Japan’s R&D capabilities, taking into account the needs of developing countries, and not limited to contributing to the domestic market.
２）Establish and enhance mechanisms to support the procurement of Japanese products and services by international organizations in the field of global health.
３）Through the development of domestic infectious disease countermeasures and crisis management systems, nurture talents who can be active in the global health field and utilize these talents to fundamentally strengthen the international department of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, promoting comprehensive and strategic international health diplomacy under unified diplomacy.
４）Expand Japan’s ODA expenditures in the field of global health while thoroughly implementing wise spending.
５）Clearly position support for the global health field as a strategic area in diplomatic policy to realize offer-based cooperation in the global health field linked to local corporate activities.
６）Strategically expand contributions to international organizations in the global health field, taking into account the opinions of Japanese companies. Specifically, actively pledge funds to the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which will hold replenishment meetings from the end of this year to next year, and strengthen Japan’s influence within international organizations.

SORA Technology’s Initiatives in the Global Health Field

SORA Technology is working to suppress the occurrence of malaria-carrying mosquitoes in West African countries by combining drones and AI. By using cutting-edge technology to reduce the impact of malaria and improve the health and living standards of local residents, SORA Technology contributes to the field of global health.
For more details about SORA Technology’s malaria countermeasure solutions, please watch the video below.

About the Initiative “Business Leaders Supporting Global Health”

Led by Ken Shibusawa, CEO, this initiative is a volunteer group of Japanese companies contributing to global health (support and business in the field of health care, especially public health and infectious disease countermeasures). It consists of a wide range of fields, not limited to pharmaceuticals and medical devices but also including finance, trading companies, digital, and supply chain, with participation from both large corporations and SMEs/startups.

Representatives:

• Ken Shibusawa, CEO, Shibusawa & Company, Inc.
• Tsunetaka Iyeji, Chairman and Group CEO, Sysmex Corporation
• Nobuhiro Endo, Special Advisor, NEC Corporation
• Atsushi Karube, Senior Executive Advisor, Toyota Tsusho Corporation
• Teiichi Goto, President and CEO, FUJIFILM Corporation
• Yusuke Saraya, President, Saraya Co., Ltd.
• Keiko Tashiro, Director and Executive Vice President, Daiwa Securities Group Inc.
• Isao Teshirogi, Chairman and CEO, Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
• Haruo Naito, CEO, Eisai Co., Ltd.
• Takashi Ninami, President and CEO, Suntory Holdings Limited
• Katsuaki Watanabe, Chairman, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
• Yosuke Kaneko, Founder and CEO, SORA Technology Inc.
• Mari Sakau, Founder and CEO, miup Inc.
• Mihoko Kashiwakura, Japan Representative, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Official Website: Business Leaders Supporting Global Health

About SORA Technology

With the mission of “Transforming Lives from the Sky,” SORA Technology is developing projects to counter mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever, which are heavily influenced by climate change. Based on the data and technology obtained from projects in the Global South, SORA Technology aims to bring reverse innovation to developed countries, creating a sustainable society resilient to disasters and epidemics by utilizing “SORA” (sky).

Contact Information

Public Relations: Ichio Sato, SORA Technology Inc.
E-mail: ichiho.sato@sora-tech.com