Empowering Japan's Future Leaders
One Young World Japan Welcomes Astellas as Host City Partner for the Tokyo 2027 Summit
August 27, 2026 – Tokyo, JAPAN:
One Young World Japan (OYWJ) warmly celebrates Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”) joining as the first Host City Partner of the One Young World 2027 Tokyo Summit. From September 28 to October 1, 2027, more than 2,000 of the world’s most impactful young leaders from over 190 countries will convene in Tokyo to drive global social change in what is expected to be the largest Summit in the organization’s history — and the first ever held in Japan.
COMMITTED TO TURNING INNOVATIVE SCIENCE INTO VALUE FOR PATIENTS — THROUGH THE NEXT GENERATION
Astellas’ VISION is to be “on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients.” Astellas announced their five-year Corporate Strategic Plan 2026 in May 2026 to drive sustainable growth, create and deliver greater VALUE faster for patients, and address evolving unmet medical needs. That patient-centric mandate is precisely what the company has entrusted to young leaders through One Young World. Astellas’ thirty-plus delegates sent to previous global One Young World Summits have led projects advancing health and well-being. Health equality has featured as a plenary challenge of the Summit itself, and Tokyo 2027 will place Japan’s own patient realities — the world’s most rapidly ageing society, thinning clinical capacity in rural prefectures, and the caregiving burden borne by families — in front of a global audience of problem-solvers.
A PARTNERSHIP EIGHT YEARS IN THE MAKING
This Host City Partnership is an evolution of the relationship between Astellas and OYWJ which began in 2018 at the inaugural Japan Forum. Mr. Naoki Okamura, President and CEO of Astellas, took the stage in his 2018 role as Chief Strategy Officer. The success of that gathering led to ASTAR, an internal leadership program co-developed with OYWJ and its Global Leader Accelerator, which uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals as its “north star.” ASTAR members produced initiatives to support patients with unmet needs, and gave young professionals direct access to Astellas leadership including select C-Suite executives. In 2025, Astellas became OYWJ’s first-ever Platform Partner. Now, as Mr. Okamura takes his seat as One Young World’s first Counsellor from Japan, Astellas becomes the first company to anchor the Tokyo Summit as Host City Partner.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Historic Milestones:
Welcoming Astellas as One Young World Tokyo 2027’s first Host City Partner and Mr. Naoki Okamura as One Young World’s first Counsellor from Japan. - Patient-centric Leadership:
Astellas delegates will carry scientific, health and well-being projects into the Tokyo Summit, whose agenda is shaped by the young leaders themselves, aligning global youth ambition with Astellas’ VISION of turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. - Prominent Brand Presence:
Substantial visibility across all four Summit days, including over 20 Astellas delegates, a C-Suite keynote, premium exhibition space, and a seat on the Tokyo 2027 Organizing Committee. - Proven Leadership Return:
One Young World’s longitudinal data shows 89.9% of Manchester 2022 Ambassadors created new social impact within 2 years — evidence that Summit investment converts into sustained leadership capacity. - Deepening Future Collaboration:
OYWJ expects this transformative partnership to continue deepening, empowering next-generation leaders to build a sustainable future.
