Pritzker Prize-winning Architect Kazuyo Sejima to Speak at YWBCH 2026: Special Lecture and Panel Discussion with Leaders from Architecture, Cosmetics, and Healthcare

The Japan Breast Cancer Research Group (JBCRG), a general incorporated association (Representative Director: Shigeaki Saji, headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo), will host a special lecture and panel discussion featuring Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kazuyo Sejima as part of the academic program of YWBCH 2026, an international conference it organizes.

Image provided by SANAA

This special program is made possible through the special sponsorship of ELC Japan LLC (hereinafter 'ELC Japan'), a company long engaged in breast cancer awareness initiatives. Leaders from the distinct fields of architecture, cosmetics, and healthcare will come together to discuss 'Leadership and Collaboration in Creating Value'.

https://www.elcompanies.com/ja-jp/our-impact/social/the-breast-cancer-campaign

The first session will feature a special lecture by Kazuyo Sejima, Pritzker Prize-winning architect. The second session will host a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Chikako Shimizu of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, with panelists James Aquilina, CEO and Managing Executive Officer of ELC Japan, and Dr. Masakazu Toi, Director of Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital.

This special program will bring together leading figures from the forefront of architecture, cosmetics, and healthcare to share their experiences and insights on how they have created new value through unconventional thinking from their respective positions.

Background

Why this program is being held

Architecture, cosmetics, and healthcare may appear to be different fields, but they share a commonality: 'designing systems that support people's lives and well-being in harmony with cultural backgrounds and society'.

Furthermore, each of these fields has evolved through international collaboration, incorporating knowledge and cultures from around the world to create new models that enrich people's lives.

This special program will invite leading figures from various fields to explore, through cross-sector dialogue, how diverse collaboration has generated social value, and to share insights on co-creating well-being for young women.

Program Overview

Session 1: Special Lecture – November 15 (Sun), 10:30–11:00

Speaker: Kazuyo Sejima

Lecture Theme: 'Architecture and Environment' – Kazuyo Sejima on creativity and collaboration

The first session will feature a special lecture by architect Kazuyo Sejima.

Ms. Sejima received the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2010, architecture's highest honor, as part of the architectural firm SANAA with Ryue Nishizawa. She has designed numerous public buildings and cultural facilities both in Japan and abroad, practicing architecture that connects people to people and people to society through spaces characterized by transparency and openness.

In this lecture, she will discuss team-building for creative projects and the process of creating social value through collaboration with diverse individuals.

Session 2: Special Panel Discussion – November 15 (Sun), 11:00–12:00

Theme: 'Leadership and Collaboration in Creating Value'

The second session will bring together leaders from different fields—architecture, corporate management, and healthcare—for cross-sector dialogue.

<Panelists>

・ Kazuyo Sejima, Architect

・ James Aquilina, CEO and Managing Executive Officer, ELC Japan

・ Masakazu Toi, Director, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital

<Moderator>

・ Chikako Shimizu, Chief, Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine

The panel discussion will explore topics such as:

・ Leadership approaches for creating value

・ The potential for new creativity brought by diversity

・ Co-creation in an uncertain era

※ The speakers, schedule, and content of this session are subject to change due to natural disasters or other unavoidable circumstances. Please check the official website for the latest information.

ELC Japan's Breast Cancer Awareness Initiatives

ELC Japan, the special sponsor of this program, is the Japanese subsidiary of The Estée Lauder Companies, a world-renowned prestige cosmetics company that pioneered the 'quest for a breast cancer-free world' awareness campaign in Japan.

Breast cancer is not only a medical issue but also a social challenge supported by corporate, community, and individual understanding and action. This program aims to foster new insights and possibilities for collaboration by facilitating dialogue among healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and an architect offering a fresh societal perspective.

Message from the Conference

'This special program offers a rare opportunity to engage with insights from leaders shaping the fields of medicine, architecture, and cosmetics. We hope it will inspire participants to discover new perspectives and opportunities for collaboration.'

Shigeaki Saji, Representative Director, Japan Breast Cancer Research Group (JBCRG)

Event Overview

Name: The 3rd International Conference on Young Women’s Breast Cancer and Health (YWBCH 2026)

Dates: November 14 (Sat) – 15 (Sun), 2026

Venue: Hinoe Hall, B1, Omura Shu & Mieko Memorial St. Luke's Clinical Academic Center, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Theme: Co-creating the Future with Science and Compassion

Format: Hybrid (in-person and live streaming)

Expected Attendance: Up to 200 participants

Organizers: Japan Breast Cancer Research Group (JBCRG) / Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation (BCYWF)

Official Website: https://procomu.jp/ywbch2026/

©Kohei Omachi

<Panelists>

Kazuyo Sejima

Image provided by ELC Japan

<Panelist>

James Aquilina

CEO and Managing Executive Officer, ELC Japan

<Panelist>

Masakazu Toi, Director, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital

<Moderator>

Chikako Shimizu, Chief, Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine

YWBCH 2026, November 14–15, 2026, https://procomu.jp/ywbch2026/