News Releases

Global Fund welcomes $340 million contribution by Japan

13 March 2012

Highest Contribution Ever Made by Japan, Leading Supporter of the Global Fund

Geneva – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today welcomed a $340 million contribution by Japan, the highest amount that Japan has ever made in 10 years of vigorous support for the Global Fund. Japan is now making its first payment of US$ 216 million for its 2012 contribution.

“Japan has always been a leader in the fight against disease, but this is a great vote of confidence in our commitment to saving lives,” said Gabriel Jaramillo, General Manager of the Global Fund. “We recognize Japan’s determination to see real advances in global health, and we are equally determined to deliver.”

This new contribution represents a significant increase over Japan’s previous highest contribution of US$ 246 million in 2010. In 2011, Japan’s contribution was reduced to US $114 million following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeast Japan in March of last year, but this new contribution demonstrates that Japan’s commitment to the Global Fund remains steadfast.

Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Japan would contribute US $340 million as part of its pledge of US$ 800 million to the Global Fund announced at the third Replenishment Conference in 2010.

Japan’s leadership in the Global Fund began when a summit of G8 nations called for the creation of such a global financing organization in 2000 in Okinawa, Japan.

The contribution received this week raises Japan’s contributions to the Global Fund to more than US$ 1.6 billion since its creation in 2002.