Dr. Naoko Yamamoto brings nearly 30 years of experience working on health-related issues. She served as Senior Assistant Minister for Global Health in Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. In this capacity, she was heavily involved in Japan’s global health leadership by hosting and organizing the International Conference on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in 2015, and supporting the compilation of the G7 Ise-Shima Vision for Global Health and Kobe Communique of the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting in 2016. Both of which highlighted the importance of promoting UHC. Prior to this role, she served in numerous health-related positions within the government of Japan, including as Director in MHLW, Director General of the Hokkaido Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare, and Director of the Health and Medical Division at the Ministry of Defense, as well as Counsellor to the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations. From 2017 to 2022, she served as the Assistant Director-General of Division of UHC/Health Systems (in 2017) and Cluster of UHC/Healthier Populations (2018-2022) in the World Health Organization (WHO). She was the Chair of UN Nutrition from Jan. 2021 to Nov. 2022.
From Dec 2022, she is Professor of the International University of Health and Welfare.
She holds a medical degree, Ph.D., and a Master's degree in Public Health.