Q3 Up to now there have been so many study groups set up by governmental organizations such as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Regulatory Reform Council, however, their efforts appear not to be effective to accelerate development of bio-venture industry. What are the main reasons of the lack of positive outcomes?
Ozaki: Honestly speaking, the success of bio-venture companies means all about success in the United States. Therefore, the strategy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is meaningless unless it aims for success in the United States. China’s movement has been very active in the bio space for the last 10 years, which on the surface seems to be a bio-strategy for Chinese ventures based on Chinese economic growth. In reality US VCs actually piggybacked on those Chinese initiatives to use China money for bio-venture growth. At the center there are always Americans. They must have been working with a view that the success of Chinese bio ventures would contribute to the United States at the end of the day. There is a report on President Biden’s son received a large sum of VC funding from China. I feel it sounds like a usual story for American capitalists. Americans are thinking about ways to increase their funding strategically always. I am amazed how flexible and capable they are to achieve their true objectives. Likewise, China is also savvy to use American capitalists and Chinese returnees from the United States to grow and develop the biotechnology industry in China and list Chinese companies on Nasdaq. I think we can use this model for Japan as well.
Of course, it would be inappropriate to call the Japan government initiatives as a tool to list on Nasdaq or to get regulatory approval by the FDA. That being said, if our current efforts of the Japanese, by the Japanese and for the Japanese do not work, we may need a new model involving Japanese returnees and Americans who like Japan and live in Tokyo. They may be able to create a successful path for the Japanese bio ventures in the world largest biotechnology market.
Q4 これまで経産省や規制改革会議などいくどもベンチャー育成の検討会を設置してますが結局成果があがっていない原因は何なのでしょうか？ご教示下さい。
尾﨑： バイオの世界は米国での成功が全てです。従って、経産省の戦略も米国で成功する為のものでなくては、意味が無いと思います。ここ10年で中国の動きが非常に活発であったのも、経済的成長をベースに中国マネーを使ったバイオ戦略に見えますが、それだけでは無く、米国のVCが米国人を使って中国マネーを中国企業に資本注入して育てていたと感じます。中心には米国人がいます。彼らは当然米国での成功を視野に活動していたはずです（当時）。バイデン候補の息子が中国から多額のVC資金を得ていたとの報道がありますが、さも有りなんと思います。戦略的に資金を増やす方法を考えているのは米国人で、思考の柔軟性と行動力には舌を巻きます。中国が彼らを使いながら、自国の海亀族を巻き込んで、バイオでの成功のシナリオを作ろうとしていました。中国ベンチャーのナスダック上場もその一環です。この手法は日本にも一つのモデルになると思います。
もちろん、政府の戦略として「日本ではなく米国で上場して、米国で臨床して承認を取るのを一義にする」のはまずいでしょうが、今まで上手くいかなかったのは日本で育った日本人で日本でやろうとしていたからとも云えます。日本版海亀人が必要なのかもしれません。日本が好きな米国人も東京では良くお目にかかるので、上手に米国で成功する道筋をつくるのが大切と思います。
