The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Planetary Health Promotion Project hosted two advisory board meetings for an initiative titled, “Planetary Health: Actions for Establishing a Sustainable Global Environment.” The meetings were held on August 28, 2022 and September 12, 2022.

In FY2022, HGPI launched its Planetary Health Promotion Project with the objectives of advancing discussions on planetary health and contributing to better health for the planet and its people.

The Planetary Health Alliance defines planetary health as “a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth.” Recognizing that the impact of climate change is different in each country and that each country has a different environmental footprint, discussions in this field examine challenges and potential mitigation and adaptation methods for overcoming those challenges. There is also growing interest in climate change and health at the G7 and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), as well as in Japan’s thoughts on these topics as the host of the 2023 G7 Summit Hiroshima. To overcome the many challenges facing Japan, which include frequent natural disasters and the ongoing demographic shift resulting from birthrate decline and population aging, it will be necessary to gather multi-stakeholders to identify Japan’s unique challenges and broaden understanding toward them so discussions can be deepened and solutions can be implemented in the future.

At our advisory board meetings, global opinion leaders and prominent representatives of industry, Government, academia, and civil society in this area from Japan and overseas will share best practices and ideas from each stakeholder group, identify issues, and propose countermeasures.

At our first and second meetings, each member presented items related to issues they are aware of and items that will require future action. Discussions on each presentation were then held with the advisory board. At future meetings, we will clarify common issues, deepen discussions on measures to address them, and compile those discussions in a report.

 

[The First Advisory Board Meeting]

16:00-16:10 Opening remarks and explanatory introduction

• Joji Sugawara (Senior Manager, HGPI)

16:10-16:25 Self-introductions and short comments from each advisory board member

16:25-17:55 Topic provision from each advisory board member and discussion

16:25-16:40 Presentation 1 – Global Trends and Current Circumstances in Japan

• Chiho Watanabe (Professor, School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University; Executive Advisor to the President (Planetary Health))

16:40-16:55 Presentation 2 – The Problem of Global Warming (Lessons from Heat Stroke and Minamata Disease)

• Masahiro Kaminota (Director-General, Environmental Health Department, Ministry of the Environment)

16:55-17:10 Presentation 3 – Issues in Planetary Health from the Perspective of the Urban Environment and Health

• Keiko Nakamura (Professor, Department of Global Health Entrepreneurship, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences (Medicine), Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU))

17:10-17:25 Presentation 4 – Biodiversity and Health

• Hiroya Yamano (Director, Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies)

17:25-17:55 Presentation 5 – The Healthcare Industry and the Environment

• Yutaka Mitsutake (Director, Japan Sustainability, AstraZeneca K.K.)
• Ryoka Imai (Associate Director, Public Affairs, Market Access, Public Affairs & Patient Experience, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)

17:55-18:00 Comments from the Secretariat

• Shu Suzuki (Associate, HGPI)

 

[The Second Advisory Board Meeting]

18:00-18:05 Opening remarks and explanatory introduction

• Joji Sugawara (Senior Manager, HGPI)

18:05-19:55 Self-introductions and short comments from each advisory board member

18:05-18:20 Presentation 1 – Climate Change and Health

• Masahiro Hashizume (Professor, Department of Global Health Policy, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)

18:25-18:40 Presentation 2 – Planetary Health and One Health – Challenges, WHO’s work and Vision for the Future

• Naoko Yamamoto (Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations, World Health Organization)

18:45-19:00 Presentation 3 – Zoonosis/The One Health Approach and Health

• Yasuhiko Suzuki (Director and Professor, Division of Bioresources, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University)

19:05-19:20 Presentation 4 –Efforts to Decarbonize Human Resource Development by 2050 and the Healthcare Sector

• So Sugawara (Representative Director, Green innovation)

19:25-19:40 Presentation 5 – Specific Targets for Decarbonization

• Yusuke Matsuo (Programme Director, Business Taskforce, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Executive Director, Secretariat, Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP))

19:55-20:00 Comments from the Secretariat

• Shu Suzuki (Associate, HGPI)

 

Advisory Board Members

• Masahiro Hashizume (Professor, Department of Global Health Policy, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
• Eiji Hinoshita (Assistant Minister for Global Health and Welfare, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
• Hidekazu Hosokawa (Executive Director, Japan Medical Association)
• Ryoka Imai (Associate Director, Public Affairs, Market Access, Public Affairs & Patient Experience, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Masahiro Kaminota (Director-General, Environmental Health Department, Ministry of the Environment)
• Yusuke Matsuo (Programme Director, Business Taskforce, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Executive Director, Secretariat, Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP))
• Yutaka Mitsutake (Director, Japan Sustainability, AstraZeneca K.K.)
• Keiko Nakamura (Professor, Department of Global Health Entrepreneurship, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences (Medicine), Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU))
• So Sugawara (Representative Director, Green innovation)
• Yasuhiko Suzuki (Director and Professor, Division of Bioresources, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University)
• Chiho Watanabe (Professor, School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University; Executive Advisor to the President (Planetary Health))
• Hiroya Yamano (Director, Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies)

Observer

• Akiyo Kizawa (Executive Officer, Japanese Nursing Association (JNA))

Guest Speaker

• Naoko Yamamoto (Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations, World Health Organization)

 

(Titles omitted, alphabetical order by last name)