Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) convened an online Special International Forum: “The Importance of Vaccines and Japan’s Role in Global Health.” 

The importance of vaccines in the context of global health has started to take up more space in the vaccine policy debate than ever before. As the impact of COVID-19 is felt in developing, as well as developed countries, a global, collaborative framework (ACT-A: Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator) to accelerate access to tools related to COVID-19 has been launched. Through the COVAX Facility, a multilateral framework for the procurement and distribution of safe and approved vaccines has been established. Furthermore, international contributions are being made through bilateral vaccine donations. Japan has engaged in various international cooperation initiatives through its Strategy on Global Health Diplomacy, approved by the Cabinet in 2013, and the Basic Design for Peace and Health (Global Health Cooperation), created in 2015. 

At the same time, the international supply of COVID-19 vaccines has been unevenly distributed, with middle- and high-income countries receiving more vaccines and low-income countries receiving far fewer. Recently, there have been calls around the world for vaccines to be classified as “Global Public Goods” and it is essential that we expand the conversation to promote public and stakeholder interest and understanding of international contributions and diplomatic issues related to COVID-19.

The Special International Forum focused on Japan’s global provision of COVID-19 vaccines, the COVAX Facility’s current status and prospects, and Japan’s future role in health diplomacy. Experts from industry, government, academia, and the private sector in Japan and abroad engaged in discussions on the significance of medicines, including vaccines, to global health and the role expected of Japan moving forward. 

■Date: Friday, October 22, 2021, 15:30-18:00 JST
■Format: Zoom Webinar
■Participation Fee: Free
■Language: English and Japanese (simultaneous interpretation available)
■Host: Health and Global Policy Institute
■Co-host: The British Embassy Japan
 

■Program: (Titles omitted)

15:30-15:35   Opening Address (1) 
　Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Chairman, Health and Global Policy Institute)
　

15:35-15:40   Opening Address (2) 
　Julia Longbottom (British Ambassador to Japan)
　

15:40-15:45   Event Overview
　Ryoji Noritake (CEO & Board Member, Health and Global Policy Institute)
　

15:45-16:00   Keynote Speech (1)   Lessons Learned from UK’s Vaccine Rollout and Global Health Strategy
　Saul Walker (Deputy Head of COVID-19 Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics Strategy, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office(FCDO), UK)
　

16:00-16:15   Keynote Speech (2)   Japan’s International Collaboration Efforts in the COVID-19 Era
　Satoshi Ezoe (Director, Global Health Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan)
　

16:20-17:50   Panel Discussion

Panelists:
　Mihoko Kashiwakura (Head of East Asia Relations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
　Keizo Takemi (Member of the House of Councilors; WHO Goodwill Ambassador for UHC)
　Atsushi Sunami (President, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation)
　Kayo Takuma (Professor, Tokyo Metropolitan University)
　Suwit Wibulpolprasert (Senior Advisor, Thai Ministry of Health)

Moderator:
　Joji Sugawara (Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)

17:50-18:00   Closing Remarks
　Noriko Furuya (Member of the House of Representatives; Acting Chairperson, Association for the Promotion of Improved Public Health, Parliamentary Group for Vaccines and Prevention)
　

*Please find out the brochure at the bottom of this website for more information.