May 20th, 2021
To: The Diet Task Force for Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Chairperson: Honorable Yasuhisa Shiozaki
Secretary General: Honorable Kozo Akino

ProposalCommitments by the Government of Japan during
the “Global Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (Kigali Summit)”

Certified Specified Non-profit Organization SDGs Promise Japan
Specified non-profit organization DNDi Japan
Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
Japan Alliance on Neglected Tropical Diseases Alliance1Background
The Global Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs, “Kigali Summit”) will be held in June 24th,2021, in Kigali, Rwanda. This Summit is hosted by the Government of Rwanda, and convenes global leaders togather their support for the control of NTDs. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the NTD
roadmap until 2030. Cooperation from developed countries is essential to achieve this roadmap’s goals. In thespirit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that addresses global health disparities torealize the philosophy of “no one left behind,” we would like the members of the Diet Task Force for EliminatingNTDs to support the Government of Japan, so that Japan can show leadership at the Kigali Summit.
For Japan to continue being a global health leader, contributing to NTDs is critical. The Government of Japan
called for the "strengthening of mutual cooperation on infectious diseases and parasites” (the "HashimotoInitiative") at the 1998 G8 Birmingham Summit, and at the 7th Tokyo International Conference on AfricanDevelopment (TICAD 7) in 2019, government representatives discussed the importance of controlling infectious
diseases, including NTDs. Some outcomes are expected to be observed by TICAD 8, which is to be held in
Tunisia in 2022. Japan is also promoting Africa Health Initiatives and is equipped with a strong policy platform inorder to exercise leadership in the field of NTDs.
NTDs are currently heavily affecting the world's poor. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, NTD control
efforts have decreased in priority at both the global and local levels, posing negative impacts on many people
affected by NTDs. Without advancing the control of NTDs, it is neither possible to improve access to basic
health services, to expand primary health care, nor to build resilient and inclusive health systems. In otherwords, universal health coverage (UHC) cannot be achieved without controlling NTDs. Advancing NTD control
eases the poverty-driven “want” of medical services and directly contributes to realizing “human security,” whichis the basic philosophy of Japan’s global health cooperation. In addition, addressing NTDs in areas where accessto medical care is limited will strengthen the basis of public health, enabling us to respond more quickly to thenext pandemic that may occur in such remote areas. These proposals are in line with the recommendations
made by the “Special Committee for Considering ODA in the Health Sector” chaired by Honorable Yasuhisa
Shiozaki. Controlling NTDs is indispensable in embodying Japan's global health policies.
This document proposes potential commitments that the Government of Japan can express at the Kigali
Summit, in order to showcase Japan's contributions to the international community and build a cooperative
system for the next 10 years for NTDs. Although the summit also addresses malaria, our proposal is focused onNTDs.

2Below are the potential commitments that could be expressed at the Kigali Summit (in no particular order).
Proposal 1. Expand investment in the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund)The Government of Japan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare) has funded theGlobal Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) to support research and development of drugs for malaria,tuberculosis and NTDs, and this reflects TICAD 7's Yokohama Action Plan 2019. As of March 31, 2021, 57 projects(30 targeted / exploratory studies, 20 nonclinical studies, 7 clinical trials) are underway, with a cumulativeinvestment of approximately 25.1 billion yen. By expanding investment in the GHIT Fund, we can increase thepossibility that the technologies and products of Japanese health companies will be used internationally. Utilizing
Japanese technology in drug development is easy to understand from other countries, and it can solidify a highreputation for the GHIT Fund as a novel public-private partnership. In addition, we would like the government tosupport the GHIT Fund in order to actively contribute to building a platform in the field of access to healthproducts alongside drug development.
Proposal 2. Increase the number of NTDs projects supported by Japan’s official development assistance(ODA)
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the implementing agency of Japan’s official development
assistance (ODA), is focusing on achieving UHC in developing countries and strengthening the health system
necessary for that purpose. With this trend, we propose to use NTDs as an entry point in constructing “a strongand inclusive health system” worldwide. This will enable us to deliver health services to areas and people who
previously had no access to medical care, and create a resilient health system that can respond to new outbreaks
in remote areas of developing countries. JICA has accumulated know-how for this which should be leveraged.
Proposal 3. Expand funding and support for the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected
Tropical Diseases (ESPEN)
Since the fiscal year 2019, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has contributed a total of 200 million yen tothe Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN*), an NTD project by the World
Health Organization’s Africa Regional Office. The United States, United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Qatar andothers have supported ESPEN, and thus continued funding and active involvement from the Government of Japan
will be highly appreciated internationally. Strengthening multilateral cooperation is also specified in the proposalby the “Special Committee for Considering ODA in the Health Sector,” and the Global Health Command Tower,
which was recently established in the Cabinet Office, can aid to increase Japan’s relations with ESPEN anddemonstrate Japan's leadership.
* A project of the WHO Africa Regional Office aiming to accelerate control of five NTDs (onchocerciasis, filariasis,schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trachoma) through technical and financial support to Africancountries.

Proposal 4. Lead the movement towards the establishment of a “Global Fund” for NTDs
In the field of NTDs, there is no global mechanism for pooling the funds, procuring and purchasing medicines, anddelivering them to people in developing countries. Currently, NTD programs largely rely on on the donation ofdrugs from pharmaceutical companies, but this model has limitations. It is therefore necessary to find analternative solution to sustainably supply NTD drugs that Japanese industry, government, and academia may havecontributed to finding and producing. In expanding NTD programs in the future, it is extremely important tocreate a system similar to that of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). Japan had

3led the establishment of the Global Fund since the 2000 G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. The Government of Japan
can leverage this experience to show leadership in establishing a “Global Fund” for NTDs.
Proposal 5. Increase support for civil society organizations involved in NTD control
In countries where NTDs are endemic, such as across Africa, it is often difficult for the local government alone toprovide health services needed to combat NTDs. In such situations, health services can be effectively provided
through civil society organizations (CSOs). Increasing support for civil society organizations is an indispensable
approach for advancing NTD control programs. It is therefore very effective and critical for Japan to support NTD
control through Japanese CSOs in order to reach every corner of developing countries and ensure that no one isleft behind.

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