Dr Hiroki Nakatani of Japan was Director-General at the Department of Health and Welfare of Disabled Persons before joining WHO as Assistant Director-General. During a long career at the Ministry, he acquired extensive technical experience in public health including tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, as well as immunization, non-communicable diseases, health promotion, health emergencies, and health workforce development. His senior-level responsibilities in the Ministry included a focus on administration, management, as well as organizational and legislative development.

Dr Nakatani also participated actively in many international health initiatives. He was a member of the G8+Mexico Global Health Security Working Group and chaired the Chemical Events Working Group for two years. From 1988 to 1993, he was seconded to the WHO in Geneva as a scientist in the Division of Development of Human Resources for Health. Dr Nakatani received his M.D. from the Keio University School of Medicine in 1977, his M.H.P.Ed from the University of New South Wales in 1980, and his Ph.D. from the Department of Hygiene and Public Health of Keio University in 2001.