AIDS in JAPAN -Basic Information and Coomunity Activities in Japan

Brief History of Japanese Int'l Aid in the field of HIV/AIDS, Infectious Diseases and Health

Japan had been distributing the largest amount of ODA in the world during 90's, and regarding the measurement for infectious diseases, it has always maintained the position as a large aid donor by the strategy that focuses on "human security."

Japan had been distributing the largest amount of ODA in the world during 90's, and regarding the measurement for infectious diseases, it has always kept the position as a large aid donor by the strategy that focuses on "human security." Since when the UN International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo in 1994, Japan cooperated with the US under the Clinton Administration of Democrats to announce "Global Issues Initiative on Population and HIV / AIDS (GII)" as the strategy for international cooperation in the field of population and HIV / AIDS, and supplied three billion dollars in seven years. Even since Bush Administration of Republicans won power and cut the aid for reproductive health and rights in 2000, Japan and the Netherlands held down the position as the major donor for UN Population Fund (UNFPA). At the Okinawa Summit in 2000, Japan was committed to promote measurements for infectious diseases including HIV / AIDS as the major issue in the world for development, and promised to donate three billion dollars in five years by announcing "Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiatives (IDI)." Besides, Japan collaborated with USA to lead the establishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the Global Fund) which aims at quickly distributing the revenue for the measures of infectious diseases, and it has been retaining the position as one of the major donors for the fund since then.

1. Japan's Bilateral Aid on HIV/AIDS in Africa

As for bilateral aid, on the other hand, Japan has not been able to obtain the status as one of the major countries nor play the equivalent role as it does in multilateral aid. In the year of 2000, Japan was able to provide some aid in the field of human resource development in the field of medicine, maintenances of infrastructure such as hospitals and research laboratory, andimprovements of prevention and examination systems.

However, it failed to implement the prevention and raising awareness on HIV/AIDS among communities, promoting HIV testing, care and support, and treatment in collaboration with communities that are essential by nature. (As an exception, in 90's, holistic HIV / AIDS project was carried out in Phayao, Northern Thailand, in association with CARE Thailand/Laks Thai Foundation. In addition, Japan had some experiences of cooperation with communities in Grass Roots Grant Programs).

IDI, announced in 2000 in Okinawa Summit, required the drastic change of Japanese performance in such field. Then Japan prioritized the support for Africa regarding HIV / AIDS, it began by adopting the strategy that focuses on prevention and HIV testing (Voluntary Counseling and Testing: VCT) in bilateral aid, allocated the professionals who can form measurements for HIV / AIDS, collaborated with NGOs to improve the quality of aid in Japan based on Japan-US cooperation. It also created the new posts named "AIDS measurement volunteers" in Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers in order to realize the implementation of aid with a coalition of communities and NGOs. In consequence of such efforts, presence of Japan in Africa in the field of HIV / AIDS has much improved and Japan has gradually become possible to implement more holistic aid.

2. Japan's bilateral aid on HIV/AIDS in Asia

On the contrary, Japanese aid for HIV / AIDS have not been enough yet in vulnerable communities in Asia where HIV/AIDS has strong impact. It is essential to build a partnership with the communities that have been influenced by HIV / AIDS such as the implementation of harm reduction programs for drug users, and prevention and activities for raising awareness on HIV/AIDS for sex workers and MSM (men who have sex with men) ; however, Japanese government does not have concrete political resolution for that point and also lacks appropriate human resources. Therefore, Japanese aid for HIV / AIDS related issues in this area remains the limited fields such as capacity building of medical institutions and training of medical personnels as it used to be. As long as Japan has announced the "priority for Asia" in Japan's "ODA Charter", the fundamental document of international cooperation, it should have strong political resolution to enable the implementation of aid which is appropriate to the characteristics of HIV / AIDS issues in Asia.

3. Japanese civil society and private sectors in international cooperation on HIV/AIDS

Civil society movements having to do with HIV/AIDS issues within Japan began in the early 80s, growing to a certain level as a civil society movement by the 90s, mainly led by gay or hemophilia communities.

In comparison, involvement by Japanese international cooperation NGOs in this field happened much later. In fact, most of them only began considering HIV/AIDS as a subject matter that needed serious attention after the onset of the 21st century.

A large number of Japanese international cooperation NGOs were founded between the mid-70s and mid-80s, triggered by the need to provide emergency relief to refugees from Cambodia and other Indochina regions, and peoples in famine in African countries such as Ethiopia and Sahel region. From these activities emerged a number of organizations, which began their work through focusing on health issues in developing countries. Meanwhile, organizations concerned with population issues in developing countries began extending their activities to include reproductive health/rights work, and became involved in health issues as well.

HIV/AIDS was a completely unfamiliar field for such NGOs, since a large part of these NGOs operated in rural areas abroad, whereas HIV/AIDS, especially in Asia, was spreading mostly among sex workers, drug users, gay and MSM communities of urban areas. Japanese international cooperation NGOs had little or no experience working with these types of communities. To NGOs engaged in medical activities, working on HIV/AIDS issues brought a succession of new challenges in areas outside of their expertise, such as the necessity to work closely with local communities, requiring them to acquire new skills. For these reasons, sufficient incentives were needed in order for Japanese international cooperation NGOs to become engaged in HIV/AIDS work.

"Friends of Africa," an NGO working in Central African Republic, and "SHARE," an NGO operating in northeast Thailand are two Japanese international cooperation NGOs that had an early start in tackling HIV/AIDS issues. "Friends of Africa" established AIDS clinics in Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic (CAR), and continues its activities which includes medical treatment by acquiring funding by international donors. The latter also continues to conduct comprehensive projects revolving around supporting groups of people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Northeast Thailand.

Having moved into the 21st century, and as HIV/AIDS issues unfurl themselves in Africa, Japanese international cooperation NGOs have finally begun proactive work in HIV/AIDS. Many NGOs operating in Africa have begun conducting HIV/AIDS activities simultaneously with other activities, increasing the absolute number of new initiatives having to do with HIV/AIDS.

In Asia, on the other hand, it can hardly be said that Japanese international cooperation NGOs, apart from SHARE and few others, have extended their activities enough regarding HIV/AIDS. One reason is that HIV/AIDS in Asia, apart from Thailand, Cambodia and Burma (Myanmar), is concentrated in vulnerable communities with which Japanese NGOs do not have the capacity to work and conduct appropriate projects. It is a reality that organizations conducting relevant projects targeting drug users or sex workers are few, one of them being World Vision Japan, which conducts harm reduction projects in Uzbekistan. In order for Japanese NGOs to become proactive regarding HIV/AIDS in Asia, not only is it necessary for the NGOs to have the willingness to work with those vulnerable communities, but also for governments to understand the importance of such activities and secure NGO incentives

Home Basic information Community Activities in Japan Latest News Link Mail