“By deciding to pledge early ahead of the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment conference, which will be hosted by the United States on Sept. 19–20 in New York, Japan is expected to motivate other G7 countries, including Canada and Germany, to follow its lead in the coming weeks. By taking this lead, Kishida has successfully paved the way for Japan’s leadership to set the global health and human security agenda as it prepares to succeed Germany and preside over the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May 2023.”

In this opinion piece, JCIE/USA Executive Director Kazuyo Kato writes on the significance of Japan’s US$1.08 billion pledge to the Global Fund, made at the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Japan is a consistent leader in global health and has supported the Global Fund since its conception 20 years ago, increasing its pledges which each replenishment cycle, but this year’s pledge did not come without its challenges. Ms. Kato discusses the unprecedented steps the Kishida administration took to make this pledge and why it is notable ahead of both the Global Fund’s 7th Replenishment as well as Japan’s upcoming G7 presidency in 2023. 

Continue reading in the Japan Times.