Hirokazu Shimoda
Senior Director
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Hirokazu Shimoda joined the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI, Japan) in 1999, and he was engaged in promoting various industries, including IT, cybersecurity, biotechnology and cell and gene therapy, healthcare, and the service sector. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Senior Director of the San Francisco Office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), concurrently holding a position as a Fellow at the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
After returning to Japan, he held key positions at METI, including Director of the Information Systems Division and Director of the Bio-Industry Division, where he was responsible for biotechnology industry policy. Since July 2025, he has been serving as a Senior Director at the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), overseeing the practical application of research outcomes and the promotion of the drug development ecosystem.



