Japan Secures US$313 million Contribution to the Global Fund

TOKYO — The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomes the Japanese Diet’s passage of the fiscal 2016 supplementary budget and the fiscal 2017 budget, which includes Japan’s contribution of US$313 million to the Global Fund.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said: “As a founder of the Global Fund, Japan has always attached the utmost importance to the Global Fund. I believe this contribution once again highlights Japan’s intention to contribute even further to addressing global health challenges based on the principle of leaving no one behind.”

In May 2016, before hosting the G7 Summit in Ise-Shima, Japan announced its pledge of US$800 million for the coming years to the Global Fund’s Fifth Replenishment. The Global Fund expressed deep gratitude to the people of Japan for the pledge, which was an increase of 46 percent in terms of yen compared to the previous pledge, and the largest percentage increase among public donors compared to the fourth replenishment period.

Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund said, “Japan’s steadfast support for the Global Fund is a clear demonstration of its leadership in global health, and we applaud their commitment.”

Investments through the Global Fund have supported programs that have saved more than 20 million lives since 2002.

“The fight against infectious diseases is truly a global challenge that transcends national boundaries and political ideals. I hope this year's contribution creates positive momentum in spite of the fiscal challenges that persist. My colleagues of the Diet Task Force and I remain strongly committed to providing necessary support so that Japan continues to be a strong leader in the global fight against infectious diseases,” said Honorary Ichiro Aisawa, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet and Co-Chair of Friends of the Global Fund, Japan Diet Task Force.

Japan is the fifth-largest donor to the Global Fund. Japan has been a strong leader in global health, and introduced infectious diseases to the G8 Summit’s agenda in Okinawa in 2000, which paved the way for the Global Fund's establishment in 2002.

Japan hosted the preparatory meeting for the Global Fund Replenishment in December 2015 in Tokyo, where leaders in global health discussed investing in programs to accelerate the end of HIV, TB and malaria as epidemics, and to build more resilient and sustainable systems for health with the goal of universal health coverage.