Free Online Seminar on June 12: HGPI Special Seminar "Creating a Society that Lives with Blood - The Future of Hematology Policy from the Frontlines of Home Healthcare and Patient-Led Research"

Every year on June 14, the world observes World Blood Donor Day, as designated by the World Health Organization (WHO). In advance of this day, the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) will hold a special seminar, "Creating a Society that Lives with Blood," on Friday, June 12, 2026.

This seminar will feature Dr. Kota Ohashi, who is at the forefront of at-home blood transfusions and hematology therapy, and Mr. Junichi Kawata, who is engaged in research and policy advocacy based on his personal experience with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML).

The discussion will delve into the issues within the field of blood disorders by intersecting the future of community collaboration as seen from the frontlines of home healthcare with the voices of patients advocating for policy change as patient-researchers.

[Event Overview] ■ Speakers: Kota Ohashi (Director, Tortoise Home Visit Clinic / Chairman, NPO Blood Home Care Net) Junichi Kawata (Project Researcher, Division of Public Policy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo) ■ Date & Time: Friday, June 12, 2026, 18:30-20:00 ■ Format: Online (Zoom Webinar) ■ Language: Japanese ■ Fee: Free ■ Capacity: 500 people

[Speaker Profiles] Kota Ohashi (Director, Tortoise Home Visit Clinic / Chairman, NPO Blood Home Care Net) After battling leukemia while enrolled in the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Engineering, he was admitted to the School of Medicine at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. He has since worked at institutions such as the National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center and the National Cancer Center Hospital East. In 2016, he opened the Tortoise Home Visit Clinic, dedicating himself to community collaboration and home healthcare for blood disorders. He is a certified specialist in hematology, palliative medicine, and home healthcare, and holds leadership positions in several medical societies and NPOs.

Junichi Kawata (Project Researcher, Division of Public Policy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo) His specialties include medical sociology, cancer survivorship, ELSI, and Patient and Public Involvement/Engagement (PPI/E). He was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) at age 22. He is the Vice Representative of the CML patient and family group "Izumi-no-kai" and a member of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Council for Cancer Control Promotion.

About Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI): HGPI is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan private healthcare policy think tank established in 2004. To achieve citizen-centered healthcare policy, it has brought together a wide range of stakeholders to provide society with policy options. Since its establishment, it has contributed to concrete policy advancements by quickly raising policy issues on topics that were not sufficiently discussed at the time, such as women's health, cancer control, dementia, antimicrobial resistance, regenerative medicine, and global health.