MHLW-Supported “One Stop Service Platform” Project
ENSEMBLExJ: Oncology Symposium

In Japanese

On 17 February 2026,

The National Cancer Centre Japan (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroyuki Mano) held the ENSEMBLExJ: Oncology Symposium in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Over 400 participants attended (approximately 100 onsite and 300 online), including representatives from the National Centers, pharmaceutical companies, CROs, venture capital firms, and other related organisations.

The ENSEMBLExJ Project is a system designed to support the introduction of products from overseas biotech companies without a base in Japan into the Japanese market, as a part of national efforts to address drug lag and drug loss in Japan. At the symposium, alongside speakers from National Cancer Center Japan (NCCJ), presenters from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) provided an overview of the current situation regarding drug lag and loss in Japan and outlined the initiatives being undertaken by each organisation. It was reaffirmed that all three pillars, in other words, NCCJ, MHLW and PMDA must work together as one. The MHLW has already issued a notification prioritising PMDA face-to-face advisory meetings for products evaluated through ENSEMBLExJ.

Furthermore, the actual consultation workflow within ENSEMBLExJ was explained, and stakeholders from industry, academia and government gathered to engage in lively discussions on the establishment of the consortium that would underpin the initiatives and approaches to collaboration.

Following the symposium, numerous companies contacted NCCJ regarding participating in the consortium, and the event has also been featured in the media coverage.

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  Dr. Mano from NCCJ

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  Dr. Mano from NCCJ

Session in Progress