News | Taiwan Blood Services Foundation ESG

Hideo Nakanishi, President of the Japan Blood Products Organization (JBPO), led a delegation to visit the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation on July 16. The two sides held in-depth exchanges on the development of blood services, the supply of plasma derivatives, and directions for future cooperation.
Taiwan Blood Services Foundation President Sheng-Mou Hou stated that Taiwan and Japan are neighbors with close historical ties, and have long maintained close cooperation in the fields of medicine and public health. The visit by JBPO’s senior leadership symbolizes the continued deepening of friendship between the two sides. He expressed hope that both organizations can work even more closely together in the future to “do good things together.”

Caption: Hideo Nakanishi (right), President of the Japan Blood Products Organization (JBPO), visited Taiwan for observation and exchange, and had a pleasant conversation with Taiwan Blood Services Foundation President Sheng-Mou Hou (left).
 

The Japan Blood Products Organization (JBPO) is a general incorporated association in Japan. It was jointly established in 2012 by the plasma fraction division of Japanese Red Cross Society and Benesis
Corporation, a subsidiary of Tanabe Mitsubishi Pharma. Specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of plasma fractionation products, JBPO is the largest of Japan’s three plasma-derived medicinal products companies and the only nonprofit legal entity among them. Its operating philosophy is to serve as “a bridge connecting goodwill and medical care.”
This Taiwan-Japan exchange followed a visit to Japan led by Taiwan Blood Services Foundation CEO Tsung-Hsi Wang in January this year. Within half a year, senior representatives from the Japanese side visited Taiwan. President Hideo Nakanishi led three executives, including Yoichi Fukuda, Head of the Corporate Strategy Division; Tomohiro Toida and Norio Arita, Assistant Manager of the Product Strategy Section, Corporate Strategy division, to discuss cooperation between the two sides.

In his remarks, President Sheng-Mou Hou quoted the Analects: “Is it not a joy to have friends coming from afar?” He said the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation was honored to welcome the distinguished guests from JBPO to Taiwan for observation and exchange. In particular, as JBPO possesses Asia’s most advanced technological capabilities in plasma-derived medicinal products, this exchange would enhance both sides’ understanding of each other’s systems and technologies, enabling them to “do many good things together.”

In addition to visiting Taipei Blood Center to gain firsthand understanding of its operations in blood testing, blood component preparation, quality management, and information management, President Nakanishi and his delegation also joined representatives from Taiwan in sharing valuable experience in the promotion of blood services. During the meeting, Nakanishi expressed strong interest in the Annan Blood Component Manufacturing Site, which opened in June this year, particularly its use of smart and automated equipment such as robotic arms. He was impressed to learn that Taiwan’s national blood donation rate has remained above 7% over the past 10 years.
 

Caption: JBPO President Hideo Nakanishi (fourth from right) and his delegation visited Taipei Blood Center, where they were received by Taiwan Blood Services Foundation CEO Tsung-Hsi Wang (third from right) and Taipei Blood Center Director Min-Chang Lin (second from right).

Nakanishi stated that Japan has approximately 5 million blood donors each year, including 2 million repeat donors. However, as Japan faces population aging and a declining birthrate, the age group that donates blood more frequently is concentrated among those in their 50s and 60s. To reverse the decline in the donor population, from a long perspective, Awareness campaigns are being conducted. For instance, text books about blood donation are distributed to elementary schools so that students can deepen their knowledge of blood donation and understand its importance. The text books are expected to be covered by teachers in classes. In addition, Japan uses two blood bag volumes for donation: 200 mL and 400 mL. Regarding the fact that many voluntary blood donors in Taiwan donate 500 mL at one time, he said, “That is truly courageous.”

Yoichi Fukuda stated that in Japan, the Japanese Red Cross Society is responsible for blood collection and the manufacturing of various blood products for transfusion, while JBPO is responsible for manufacturing plasma derivatives. More than half the amount of plasma collected by Red Cross Society is allocated to the company. In addition to actively increasing Japan’s domestic self-sufficiency rate, JBPO also provides technical support to Thailand in plasma fractionation technology. Fukuda said Japan is willing to make good use of its appropriate spare production capacity to contribute to blood services in other Asian countries, adding that “Taiwan is JBPO’s priority partner for cooperation.” Nakanishi also pledged that both sides could develop more in-depth cooperation plans in the future.
 

Caption: Senior leaders of blood service organizations from Taiwan and Japan exchanged views and took a valuable group photo. Pictured are Taiwan Blood Services Foundation President Sheng-Mou Hou (front row, third from left), JBPO President Hideo Nakanishi (front row, third from right), JBPO Corporate Strategy Division Head Yoichi Fukuda (front row, second from right), JBPO Product Strategy Section Assistant Manager Tomohiro Toida of the Corporate Strategy Division (front row, first from right), Taiwan Blood Services Foundation CEO Tsung-Hsi Wang (front row, second from left), and Taipei Blood Center Director Min-Chang Lin (front row, first from left).

President Hou stated that in recent years, the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation has actively promoted blood safety and quality enhancement, including comprehensively refining blood testing technologies, continuously improving the quality of blood component preparation processes, and promoting precision transfusion policies to provide blood products that better meet patients’ needs. Through high-level exchanges between Taiwan and Japan, he looks forward to establishing a longer-term and more concrete model of cooperation, achieving mutual benefit and shared progress, and jointly contributing more to the development of blood medicine in Asia