Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Okajima Masatsune
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/09/2006
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MEDICINOVA INC [4875 OSE]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4350 LA JOLLA VILLAGE DRIVE, SUITE 950
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP and Head of Japanese Office
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SAN DIEGO, CA 92122
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy)   (1) 07/31/2016 Common Stock 100,000 $ 1.13 (2) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Okajima Masatsune
4350 LA JOLLA VILLAGE DRIVE, SUITE 950
SAN DIEGO, CA 92122
      VP and Head of Japanese Office  

Signatures

/s/ Shintaro Asako, Attorney-in-Fact 06/09/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The option vests over a six month period, commencing August 1, 2006, in equal monthly installments.
(2) The exercise price of this stock option is 129 yen. On the date of grant, the exercise price was equal to $1.13, based on the exchange rate as found on www.oanda.com.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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