1 July 2018 - 30 June 2019
Regional Director
Dr Takeshi Kasai began his term as WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific on 1 February 2019, following his nomination by the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific and his appointment by the WHO Executive Board.
The public health career of Dr Kasai began nearly 30 years ago when he was assigned to a remote post on the northeast coast of Japan, providing health-care services for the elderly. His early experiences there impressed upon him
Dr Kasai has worked for WHO for more than 15 years, and at the time of his nomination was Director of Programme Management, the No. 2 position at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines. As a Technical Officer and
later as the Director of the Division of Health Security at the Regional Office, he was instrumental in developing and implementing the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies, which guides
Dr Kasai also served as the WHO Representative in Viet Nam from 2012 to 2014, and in 2014 received the For the People’s Health Medal from the Government, the top
Dr Kasai is from Japan. He is married and has three daughters.
Download the official photo of Dr Takeshi Kasai
Regional Director's Report
Under the leadership of Dr Takeshi Kasai and in consultation with Member States, partners and staff, WHO in the Western Pacific Region has developed a vision for the next five years. Together, we identified four priorities that must be addressed to reach our goal: making the WHO Western Pacific Region the healthiest and safest region.
Commentaries