PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Genri Goto, CEO, Kenko.com, Inc.

The speech will be in English and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

Why Japan's Ban on Online Sale of OTC Drugs is Abuse of Power?

Genri Goto will tell the story of a battle that pits the emerging digital economy against entrenched bricks-and-mortar interests and the government bureaucrats with whom they have cozy relations. As the outcome may influence the nation's economic evolution, this might well be top business news – in another country. In Japan, however, Goto says the media have been "oddly silent."

Terming the FCCJ "Japan's de facto media court of appeal," Goto, CEO of Kenko.com, Japan's largest online drugstore, asked for this opportunity to explain his pending lawsuit challenging Japanese government regulations that effectively ban the online sale of non-prescription (OTC, "over-the-counter") pharmaceutical products. Goto will speak at the FCCJ six days before a court decision scheduled for March 30.

In February 2009, Japan's Ministry of Health & Welfare announced new regulations on the sale of OTC pharmaceutical products. On one hand, the door was opened for convenience stores to sell certain OTC categories. On the other, online OTC sales were severely restricted.

Drafted through a consultation process he claims was "dominated by entrenched business interests," the new regulations cited lack of face-to-face contact between consumers and "registered sales staff" as an inherent safety risk in online sales.

Citing restriction of online OTC sales as a violation of their constitutional rights and a blatant abuse of bureaucratic power, Kenko.com and Wellnet Corp. sued the government on May 25, 2009, in the Tokyo District Court.

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Genri Goto, CEO, Kenko.com, Inc.