Policy Updates

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.

On August 27, 2024, the 2024 TICAD Ministerial Meeting laid critical groundwork for TICAD 9, scheduled for 2025, with a focus on strengthening economic ties, promoting startups, and advancing UHC in Africa.

Japan's strategy emphasizes innovation, health system improvements, and partnerships, positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s sustainable development.

At the heart of Japan’s approach is the promotion of UHC, a long-standing priority aimed at expanding access to healthcare across Africa. The discussions highlighted Japan’s ongoing commitment to UHC, focusing on disease prevention, health system strengthening, and the development of local production capacities for vaccines and pharmaceuticals—issues brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan’s emphasis on increasing local manufacturing through partnerships, like those with JICA and the African Export-Import Bank, demonstrates its intention to help Africa build more resilient health systems.

The joint communique lacked specific references to key health challenges such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, raising concerns among civil society groups.

Another critical element of Japan’s strategy at TICAD 9 is the promotion of startups, particularly in the digital health sector. This aligns with the broader goal of fostering innovation and economic participation, particularly among women and youth. Japan views startups as vital to solving social challenges and driving economic growth, especially in sectors like agriculture and health.

There are concerns that these initiatives have yet to be clearly linked to resolving Africa’s pressing health and socio-economic challenges, potentially limiting their long-term impact.

Japan is also playing a leadership role in addressing Africa’s financial needs, particularly regarding debt relief and climate change funding. Japan has been proactive in promoting the use of IMF Special Drawing Rights to boost liquidity for African nations struggling with the economic fallout from the pandemic. By spearheading efforts to channel these resources through the African Development Bank, Japan aims to help countries meet their SDGs, particularly in healthcare and climate resilience.

Looking ahead to TICAD 9 in 2025, Japan’s approach will need to address the gaps in its health strategy, particularly in supporting key disease eradication efforts and aligning business ventures with Africa’s long-term health and development needs. As Japan continues to foster economic and health partnerships, the challenge will be to ensure these efforts contribute meaningfully to Africa’s sustainable development, rather than being viewed as external projects with limited local ownership.

On August 26, 2024, Japan’s MHLW introduced its Global Health Vision, a comprehensive strategy designed to address global health challenges while reinforcing Japan's domestic healthcare infrastructure.

The vision emphasizes collaboration with international organizations such as the WHO and the World Bank, alongside a commitment to strengthening health systems in low- and middle-income countries.

The key components of the strategy are:

• Establishing the UHC Knowledge Hub: Set to launch in Japan by 2025, the hub will serve as a global center for supporting UHC initiatives in low- and middle-income countries, providing expertise and capacity-building resources in collaboration with WHO and the World Bank;
• Building an international strategy for strengthening drug discovery infrastructure: Japan aims to revitalize its drug discovery base by fostering international collaborations, particularly in next-generation biopharmaceuticals. The initiative focuses on supporting startups and enhancing the research-to-development pipeline through a robust 'Drug Discovery Ecosystem';
• Strengthening collaboration between the JIHS, ASEAN, and ACPHEED: Japan plans to focus on preparation and response to future health crises through expert exchanges and joint initiatives;
• Building an Indo-Pacific health strategy: Japan is committed to developing a health strategy that strengthens collaboration with Indo-Pacific nations, particularly in areas such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices, geriatric care, and the international deployment of Japanese healthcare practices;
• Ensuring a stable supply of pharmaceuticals as economic security by diversifying supply chains for active pharmaceutical ingredients, ensuring stable supplies even during international disruptions;
• Bolstering appropriate contributions to international organizations and GHIs: MHLW will continue to engage actively in global health diplomacy, contributing to G7 and other multilateral discussions while increasing bilateral policy dialogues; and
• Strengthening the governance of MHLW's international department and the international health human resource strategy: The vision includes measures to strengthen governance within MHLW’s international divisions and expand Japan's presence in international organizations by increasing the number of Japanese professionals in global health roles.

The strategic vision reflects Japan's commitment to addressing global health challenges and domestic issues by leveraging international collaboration. By focusing on areas such as UHC, drug discovery, and health crisis management, Japan aims to enhance its role as a global health leader while ensuring its healthcare system remains resilient and innovative.