Policy Updates

On December 15, 2024, Japan hosted the 17^th THMM with China and South Korea, focusing on public health security, healthy aging, and strengthening health systems to achieve UHC.

The ministers discussed improving PPR, tackling AMR, and promoting joint clinical trials and regulatory alignment across Asia. Japan highlighted the importance of strengthening health workforces, fostering innovation, and increasing cooperation between public health institutes. The countries agreed on an updated Memorandum of Cooperation and Joint Action Plan to improve coordinated responses to future global health emergencies.

On healthy aging, the countries shared strategies for preventive care, integrating long-term healthcare systems, and using technologies like care robots and ICT to meet the needs of aging populations. They also emphasized joint research on aging-related care, considering the cultural and demographic similarities of the three nations.

The three countries committed to strengthening health systems to achieve UHC, promoting digital transformation for equitable healthcare access, and supporting initiatives like Japan’s UHC Knowledge Hub, set to launch in 2025. The meeting concluded with a reaffirmed commitment to collaborative health solutions, with South Korea scheduled to host the next THMM in 2025.

On December 1, 2024, Japan approved a supplementary budget totaling JPY52.4 billion (US$352 million) for global health-related initiatives in FY2024, which focuses on several overarching themes, including combating infectious diseases, enhancing health equity, strengthening health systems in developing regions, and preparing for future pandemics.

It also aims to promote UHC, expand vaccine accessibility, and foster innovation in medical technology. These initiatives are strategically aligned with Japan’s goals of improving global health outcomes while supporting its economic and diplomatic interests.

The funding will be allocated across the following initiatives:

• JPY290 million (US$2 million) to promote foreign medical talent development in the Indo-Pacific region, enhancing health standards and economic growth;
• JPY120 million (US$800,000) to medical inbound projects, linking foreign patient demand to Japan’s medical and regional economic growth;
• JPY22.1 billion (US$148 million) to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and support pandemic preparedness in developing countries;
• JPY7.7 billion (US$52 million) to CEPI to accelerate vaccine development for epidemic-prone diseases like Ebola and coronaviruses;
• JPY2.8 billion (US$19 million) for GHIT to advance R&D for treatments for neglected tropical diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria;
• JPY2.4 billion (US$16 million) to WHO for Monkeypox prevention, response, and health system strengthening in outbreak-affected regions;
• JPY200 million (US$1 million) to establish a WHO UHC Knowledge Hub, promoting global health equity and knowledge sharing;
• JPY1.3 billion (US$9 million) for Gavi to strengthen vaccine access and immunization efforts in low-income countries;
• JPY300 million (US$2 million) to support research and development for effective treatments for emerging infectious diseases;
• JPY160 million (US$1 million) to enhance public health crisis management through research on emerging diseases, Mpox, and syphilis prevention;
• JPY6.5 billion (US$44 million) to prepare for the establishment of the National Institute for Health Crisis Management; and
• JPY8.5 billion (US$57 million) to enhance the infection response capacity of designated medical facilities for emerging diseases.

Japan’s strategic allocation of these funds reflects its dual objectives of improving global health outcomes and fostering the global expansion of its health industries.

On October 31, 2024, South Korean Minister Kyu-hong Cho attended the 2024 G20 Health Ministers‘ Meeting and Joint Finance and Health Ministers‘ Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In discussions with representatives from various countries, Minister Cho explored ways to enhance equity in healthcare access and achieve UHC by building a sustainable and resilient global health system.

He emphasized the efficient use of resources for pandemic prevention, response, and preparedness and underscored the importance of a balanced review of the characteristics, advantages, and limitations of various health crisis financing options.

The Health Ministers' Meeting joint declaration, the first in three years, will be an outcome of the upcoming G20 Summit and a significant milestone for future international health meetings and negotiations.

On October 21, 2024, Japan announced an emergency grant of US$10 million in response to Lebanon’s worsening humanitarian situation.

This assistance will be delivered through organizations like UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, IOM, and ICRC, focusing on essential needs such as shelter, food, water, and healthcare.

The funding will be allocated as:

• UNHCR: Shelter and non-food items (US$5 million);
• WFP: Food assistance (US$2 million);
• UNICEF: Water, sanitation, and hygiene (US$1 million);
• IOM: Site management and non-food items (US$1 million); and
• ICRC: Health and medical services (US$1 million).

Japan also called for restraint in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, urging diplomatic efforts to avoid further escalation.

On October 10 and 11, 2024, the G7's Health Ministerial Meeting took place in Ancona, Italy. The discussion focused on three overarching priorities: Global Health Architecture and Pandemic Preparedness and Response, healthy and active aging, and the One Health Approach.

The G7 Health Ministers Communiqué, released at the end of the meeting, highlights the G7's commitment to supporting SDG #3 through universal health coverage, primary health care, and sexual and reproductive health. This also includes maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health, strengthening the global health architecture by investing in PPR, promoting regional manufacturing of health products, and equitable access to quality health services.

The communiqué emphasized the health-related impacts of conflicts with a reference to the crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan. Furthermore, in the communiqué, the G7 Ministries committed to continue to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, whose replenishment processes will occur in the upcoming months.

The Civil 7 engagement group, a platform through which civil society can engage with the G7, reacted with a communiqué in which they expressed an appreciation for the re-commitment to ending HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria through robust support for the Global Fund in its replenishment next year. This support is crucial to ending the three epidemics as agreed upon in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Finally, the G7 Health Ministers also adopted a policy brief on the opportunities presented by AI for both healthcare providers and patients.

On October 8, 2024, a conference was held in Kyiv to discuss the outcomes and lessons learned from two reproductive health projects in Ukraine, funded by the Japanese government.

The projects, implemented by WHFP (a member of IPPF), aimed to mitigate the impact of GBV and improve access to reproductive health services in regions affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Key achievements of the projects include:

• Providing medical equipment, medicines, and post-rape care kits to 10 medical facilities;
• Delivering reproductive health services to over 1 million women and girls;
• Training 459 healthcare workers on managing rape cases and emergency obstetric care;
• Offering comprehensive sex education training to over 50 educators and counselors; and
• Organizing 70 youth events on reproductive health.

The conference highlighted Japan’s crucial role in supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system during the ongoing conflict, emphasizing the importance of reproductive health services for women, girls, and vulnerable populations.

On October 7, 2024, Japan signed an agreement for a grant of JPY1.2 billion (US$8 million) to improve living conditions for vulnerable urban populations in Afghanistan.

The agreement aims to address challenges in Kabul and Herat, two rapidly growing provinces facing inadequate infrastructure and services, particularly affecting women, the disabled, and the poor.

The project focuses on rehabilitating infrastructure such as healthcare facilities, water and sanitation systems, and roads, incorporating community participation and disaster risk considerations. By improving living conditions, it is expected to support the health and sustainable development of Afghanistan's vulnerable urban populations.

On September 25, 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a video message during the side event Global Action on AMR: Advancing Healthy Longevity and Sustainability under UHC, hosted by the HGPI, in collaboration with multiple organizations held in conjunction with the 79th UNGA High-Level Meeting on AMR.

In his message, he emphasized several critical points regarding Japan's commitment to tackling AMR.

• Addressing the silent pandemic: Prime Minister Kishida highlighted the rise of AMR as a significant threat to global health security, estimating that around 5 million deaths are linked to AMR each year. He warned that the economic impact could reach annual losses of up to 3.4 trillion dollars in GDP by 2030;
• One Health approach: He underscored the complexity of AMR, which encompasses human, animal, food, and environmental health, reiterating the necessity of cross-sectoral collaboration through a One Health approach;
• International cooperation: Kishida expressed confidence in the global community's commitment to addressing AMR, referencing the collaborative efforts of organizations like FAO, WHO, OIE, and UNEP in developing comprehensive strategies;
• G7 commitment: The Prime Minister mentioned the discussions on AMR during the G7 Hiroshima Summit, where leaders demonstrated political will and reaffirmed their commitments to AMR action, including a joint One Health expert meeting hosted by Japan; and
• Future actions: Kishida anticipated that the political declaration from the upcoming high-level meeting on AMR would serve as a crucial catalyst for global actions against AMR, and reiterated Japan's intention to lead efforts in the international arena.

Dame Sally Davies, the UK Government Special Envoy on AMR, delivered a message that underscored the urgency of the AMR crisis. She emphasized that over 1.1 million people died from AMR in 2021, with projections indicating that by 2050, the death toll could exceed 39 million. She stressed the need for access to antibiotics, sustainable financing, and educational initiatives to combat AMR effectively. She called for the establishment of an independent science panel on AMR to assess evidence and inform future interventions.

On September 20, 2024, JICA signed a loan agreement with the Government of Morocco to provide an ODA loan worth JPY27.8 billion (US$193 million) aimed at helping Morocco achieve UHC by improving the delivery and quality of maternal and child health services, strengthening nutrition programs, and enhancing health financial protection.

The funds will provide general budget support, directly contributing to Morocco’s efforts to reform and expand its healthcare system, particularly in encouraging informal sector workers to join public health insurance.

The project aligns with two SDGs: zero hunger and good health and well-being. Scheduled for completion by January 2025, JICA’s contribution will also include technical assistance, in collaboration with UN agencies, to ensure successful implementation of the health reforms across Morocco.

This initiative expects to support economic stability and contribute to Morocco’s broader development goals. JICA will work alongside other international institutions that are co-financing the project to ensure comprehensive collaboration on health reform including the World Bank, AfDB, and AFD.

On September 22, 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio addressed the UN Summit of the Future in New York CIty, emphasizing focal areas to ensure global peace, freedom, and prosperity.

Kishida's five key target areas included:

• Upholding the rule of law: Kishida emphasized that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force cannot be tolerated. A free and open international order based on the rule of law is essential for sustainable development and prosperity;
• Defending human dignity: He stressed that human dignity is the foundation for all international cooperation, especially when addressing complex global crises;
• Investing in people: Kishida called for empowering women, children, and youth, announcing Japan's plan to launch a program to nurture future leaders in the field of gender equality, and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to universal health coverage and quality education;
• Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation: He expressed Japan’s determination to promote practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, even amid current challenges; and
• UNSC reform: Kishida advocated for the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership categories, calling for concrete actions to reform the UNSC.