Japan, the GHIT Fund, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, the issue of “neglected tropical diseases” (NTDs) tends to be literally neglected, and the term, NTDs, itself is not widely recognized by most people in the world. NTDs are a group of some 20 diseases and conditions mainly prevalent in tropical areas. In recent years, the Japanese government has supported the establishment and development of the “Global Health Innovative Technology Fund” (GHIT Fund) to invest in research and development for combating NTDs. This chapter examines Japan’s contributions to controlling and eliminating NTDs by investigating domestic cases in Japan as well as Japan’s global health diplomacy in collaboration with the GHIT Fund. This chapter moreover points out the significance of Japan’s global health diplomacy at the G7 Hiroshima Summit held on May 19–21, 2023.