Changes in the disease structure in a globalizing Asia are contributing to a rapid increase in cancer in the region. Cancer is a complex disease that is deeply related to various factors, including genetic predisposition, living environment and lifestyle customs. Cancer represents a grave and common challenge in Asia, where social structures are undergoing significant transformations in all aspects, including in the economy, social security and also in family relationships. What is more, the common challenge of cancer is revealing contemporary issues for society as a whole in Asia. Advances in medicine mean that the number of people surviving cancer in Asia is also increasing and this survivorship and the need for long-term treatment and care is impacting the welfare of patients and their families. Both medical and welfare policies cover areas in which it is not possible to make judgments on the basis of economic considerations alone, given the ethical dimensions of such policies. The countries of Asia are now facing a period of transition in their social structures as societies continue to age, and the very real issue of striking a balance between limited economic and social resources on the one hand and what is acceptable in ethical terms on the other hand is an extremely difficult one to address. Given the difficulties in controlling it cancer cannot be overcome based on global health-based logic, which has functioned to date in countermeasures against communicable diseases. Furthermore, as the economy globalizes the market for anti-cancer drugs is expanding rapidly. The status of drug development itself is an issue that encompasses complex and dynamic factors, with national interests at stake. As such, the structure as it currently stands is not one that can be readily resolved by referring to conventional theories of medical sociology. This lecture series will be held in an omnibus style, with external lecturers being invited to talk about cancer in Asia from their various expert perspectives. The lecturers will delve into issues such as the characteristics of cancer in Asia and the various approaches for regional cooperation that will help to overcome it, examining the current status in the Asian region and the various challenges that are currently being faced.