Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Planetary Health Project has submitted public comments on the ‘Third Phase of The Healthcare Policy (Draft)’ by the Headquarters for Healthcare Policy, Cabinet Office. The call for public comments for this draft is now closed.

“The Healthcare Policy” promoted by the Japanese government, is a policy aimed at extending the healthy life expectancy of the Japanese people and promoting sustainable social and economic development through medical research and development and the creation of new industries. The Healthcare Policy is not frequently reviewed, and this revision will determine the direction of the strategy for the five-year period from FY2025 to FY2029. Therefore, the “Third Phase of The Healthcare Policy (Draft)” must take into account recent domestic and international social challenges. It is crucial that the revision extends beyond the conventional medical and health fields to incorporate perspectives on planetary health, including the natural environment and climate change.

The “Third Phase of The Healthcare Policy (Draft),” which is currently being presented, mentions planetary health and the relationship between climate change and health as responses to cross-sectoral issues surrounding global health. However, considering that global challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, and loss of biodiversity have direct and serious impacts on human health that are becoming more and more evident every day and are also becoming more important in the international community, this strategy—intended to build a society where people can enjoy healthy and long lives—does not fully incorporate the perspective of planetary health.

Traditionally, areas such as public health, medical care, and nursing care have been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), which has promoted change through the implementation of regulations and the adjustment of medical and long-term care reimbursements. Meanwhile, issues related to the global and domestic natural environment have been handled by the Ministry of the Environment, economic policy by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and science and technology investment and education by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. However, as social conditions have become increasingly complex in recent years, there is a growing need to promote cross-ministerial and interdisciplinary approaches to these issues. Against this backdrop, the Cabinet has established the “Headquarters for Healthcare Policy.” This headquarters is led by the Prime Minister, with all Cabinet Ministers as its members, and is tasked with promoting comprehensive policies that transcend ministerial boundaries.

Examples of specific initiatives include the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) promoted by the MHLW, as specified in the “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform (Honebuto Policy),” the support of overseas deployment of environmental infrastructure and technologies for decarbonization and environmental impact reduction by the METI, and the “Adaptwell” health risk assessment system for climate change developed by the Ministry of the Environment were presented at the Global Health Strategy Promotion Council meeting held in November 2024. In addition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is implementing the “Project for Promotion of Smart Wellness Housing,” which is promoting the development of living environments (smart wellness housing) where diverse households, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and households raising children, can live healthily and securely. Furthermore, in line with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the Green Transformation (GX) Vision seeks to balance economic growth and environmental protection through large-scale investments by both the public and private sectors. Under this initiative, public-private collaboration aims to achieve more than 150 trillion yen in GX investments over the next decade.

In light of the above, HGPI has submitted a public comment that includes the following key points:

Key points of the public comment

• Incorporating the perspective of planetary health into The Healthcare Policy.
• Clarifying the relationship between health and climate change, including infectious diseases and heatstroke.
• Committing to the reduction of GHG emissions and environmental impact in the medical field, thereby building a sustainable healthcare industry.
• Promoting decarbonized healthcare internationally as part of Japan’s role in global health, including strengthening medical infrastructure and supporting greener technologies.

Planetary Health Project also published recommendations titled ‘Achieving a Sustainable Society of Health and Longevity Through the Integration of Environment and Healthcare—Incorporating a Planetary Health Perspective into the 3rd Phase of The Healthcare Policy’ in December 20, 2024.

For more information on this public comment, please click here (only available in Japanese).