The Japanese government is considering developing an agency based on the US National Institutes of Health, ScienceInsider reports.
The idea is included within a draft Growth Strategy proposal from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that was approved last week by the Competitiveness Council. According to the plan, such an institute would bring together academic, government, and private research efforts "to strongly support the commercialization of innovative medical technologies" by putting together "a comprehensive strategy and [prioritizing] goals and research targets for medical R&D."
The proposal also says the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may also serve as a template for a program to support strategic innovation.