Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Speech @ Japan Society NY

Video and English Transcript: Fumio Kishida, the Prime Minister of Japan, gave a speech on Global Health at Japan Society NYC on September 21, 2023. Read an English translation below.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida and Dr. Bill Gates (Co-Chair, Gates Foundation). Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

Editor’s Note: I am not a native or fluent Japanese speaker. English translation may not be 1:1 and slightly vary from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s original spoken speech in Japanese.

FUMIO KISHIDA: Japan has made global health a pillar of our summits since the 2000 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. One of humanity’s strengths is that we can learn from experience.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

From the lessons of the coronavirus pandemic, seven global health leaders contributed to the world at large at our May Hiroshima Summit.

The international community needs to strengthen prevention, preparedness and responsiveness to future health crises. We must continue to work toward achieving universal health coverage.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida and Dr. Bill Gates (Co-Chair, Gates Foundation). Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

In an infectious disease crisis, it is especially important that vaccines and emergency medicines be distributed equitably and that funds be mobilized smoothly.

Equitable access is critical to a comprehensive approach from research & development to manufacturing and even last-mile delivery.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida at Japan Society NY. Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

To this end, we have announced the party’s basic ideas and principles such as fairness & inclusiveness and are holding concrete discussions with the WHO and other organizations.

Japan has launched our delivery partnership on EMCM based on the Hiroshima Vision.

We will make use of the knowledge and lessons learned from Japan’s assistance regarding the new coronavirus vaccine, which Japan was the first in the world to implement.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida at Japan Society NYC. Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

It is our hopes that these parts will serve as a framework for delivery-focused cooperation.

For smooth resource mobilization, it is necessary to expand and accelerate domestic and private fund mobilization as well as international cooperation.

Today, I would like to announce the establishment of a new yen loan system for Japan.

In addition to providing technical cooperation, this is a mechanism to expand support in response to efforts by borrowing countries to strengthen their preventive preparedness, and to promptly provide funds needed to respond to pandemic outbreaks.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida at Japan Society. Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

Regarding private capital mobilization, we are announcing the launch of the Impact Investing Initiative for Global Health Triple I, which will accelerate the mobilization of private capital through impact investing approved at the Hiroshima Summit.

This could be called the global expansion of a new capitalism. Triple I, Gates Foundation, Refai, ESG Advisory Committee, IMPACT Task Force 1, we would like to thank the related organizations for their cooperation.

I would like to express my gratitude to them. In August of this year, JICA signed an impact investment agreement for two Brazilian companies, Doutor, to improve access to healthcare. It leverages AI to provide primary health care to low- and middle-income individuals.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. Photo Credit: Nir Regev – The Natural Aristocrat®

Also, Eisai Co., Ltd. is working on their impact accounting in international insurance. Looking at these success stories, we would like to encourage tourists and medical institutions to further participate in Triple I.

Japan would like to steadily move forward with these efforts while collaborating with a variety of stakeholders including all of you. Thank you very much.

– You can also watch this Fumio Kishida speech on YouTube. Comment and subscribe below!

– Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s NYC speech took place at the Japan Society Business & Policy Forum.

The event was titled:
“Toward more Resilient, Equitable and Sustainable Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030”

Description: – “Equitable Access to Medical Countermeasures (MCMs) and Impact Investment Initiative (Triple I) for Global Health”

– Be sure to watch our video & transcript of Bill Gates speech at Japan Society NYC.

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