Courtesy Call by Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

[Provisional translation]

On September 21, commencing at around 5:20 p.m.( local time.6:20 a.m. on September 22 Japan time) for approximately 10 minutes, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio, who was visiting New York, the United States, received a courtesy call from Mr. William (Bill) Henry Gates III, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The overview is as follows:

1. At the outset, Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan will contribute up to $1.08 billion to the Global Fund over the next three years in order to help respond to global infectious diseases as well as strengthen health systems. He pointed out that, in order to end the three major infectious diseases by 2030, it is essential to reinforce health systems and solicit increased contributions from new donors and the private sector, while expressing his hope for further contributions by the Gates Foundation.

2. In response, Mr. Bill Gates expressed his appreciation for Japan's contributions to global health. He also hoped that Japanese technology and innovation would be further utilized in the area of global health.

3. They reaffirmed to continue to work closely, including on prevention, preparedness and response regarding future pandemics, in anticipation of G7 Hiroshima Summit and the UN High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage to be held next year.