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The Global Fund and Japan

The Global Fund and Japan

Establishment of the Global Fund: Japan's Perspective

Japan has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund for its entire history and helped pave the way for its inception. The need for a multilateral fund to combat ongoing pandemics was first raised at the G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori in 2000, during which Japan introduced infectious diseases to the agenda. The country’s leadership in global health was fundamental to the paving the way for the creation the Global Fund in 2002, and in rallying world leaders to combat the deadliest infectious diseases of our times: AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. 

July 2000
Members at the G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit advocate the need for additional funding and strengthened international partnerships to fight infectious diseases
July 2000
June 2001
UN announces its support for the establishment of the Global Fund at the UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS.
Japan announces a contribution of US$200 million during Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the U.S.
June 2001
January 2002
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) is established
January 2002
December 2003
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announces additional contribution to Global Fund at the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit
December 2003
March 2004
Friends of the Global Fund Japan is established
March 2004
June 2005
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announces increased pledge to Global Fund to commemorate 5th anniversary of the G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit
June 2005
May 2008
Prime Minister Yasao Fukuda announces pledge to Global Fund during the "Okinawa to Toyako: Dealing with Communicable Diseases as Global Human Security Threats" symposium in Tokyo
May 2008
September 2010
Prime Minister Naoto Kan announces increased pledge to the Global Fund at the Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York
September 2010
December 2013
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces pledge of US$800 million to the Global Fund at the Global Fund's 4th Replenishment Conference in Washington DC
December 2013
December 2015
Japan hosts the Preparatory Meeting for the Global Fund's 5th Replenishment in Tokyo
December 2015
May 2016
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces commitment of US$800 million in its pledge to the Global Fund ahead of Ise-Shima G7 Summit
May 2016
May 2016
Japan hosts Ise-Shima G7 Summit, where leaders express continued support for the Global Fund
May 2016
June 2019
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces increased pledge to the Global Fund of US$840 million at a Sustainable Development Goals Promotion Headquarters meeting
June 2019
August 2022
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announces Japan’s commitment of up to US$1.08 billion to the Global Fund at the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD8) in Tunisia
August 2022
September 2022
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is the first Japanese Prime Minister to attend the Global Fund's 7th Replenishment Conference, where he reaffirms Japan's pledge of up to US$1.08 billion
September 2022

Japan's Support of the Global Fund

Since the establishment of the Global Fund following the Kyushu-Okinawa summit, Japan has been a vital partner in support­ing the Global Fund, and is currently the fifth largest public donor to the Global Fund. 

The Global Fund relies on a public-private-partnership funding model, and the replenishment periods take place in three-year funding cycles. In 2022, Japan reaffirmed its support during the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, pledging up to US$1.08 billion, bringing its total commitments to the fund since the original G8 Summit to a total of US$4.31 billion, which exemplifies Japan’s firm commitment to ending the three major infectious diseases

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(From left to right) Bill Gates, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, French President Macron, European Commission President von der Leyen, President Biden, (RED) Ambassador Mudenda, South Korean President Yoon, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, German Chancellor Scholz, Global Fund Executive Director Sands. © The Global Fund/Tim Knox

In making Japan’s pledge, Prime Minister Kishida emphasized Japan’s dedication to not only ending the three diseases, but to promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and building more Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH). These are key items for the Global Fund, which is the largest multilateral provider of grants for strengthening systems for health. 

 

Why Tackling AIDS, TB, and Malaria Matters to Japan

The Global Fund works towards ending the three pandemics of AIDS, TB, and Malaria, which helps the world continue towards achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All

While the Global Fund works most in low- to-middle income countries to tackle AlDS, TB, and malaria, Japan is no stranger to these three diseases. In order to help people around the world, including Japan, it’s necessary to improve global disease monitoring, prevention, and control around the world.

In 2021, the cumulative total of persons affected by HIV and AIDS in Japan was 18,420 and 8,340, respectively.

In 2021 around 11,519 new cases of TB were recorded in Japan. 

While endemic malaria was eradicated in 1967, the disease is still imported into the country from abroad.