Japan’s contribution to international efforts to halt the Ebola outbreak
"We must stop this outbreak any way we can. Japan is determined to put forth its best in the fight against the Ebola virus disease. [ ... ] "
(Remarks by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the United Nations High-level Meeting on the Response to the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak, September 25, 2014)
Working alongside the international community, Japan is making every effort in the fight against the Ebola virus, including the following actions:
Financial Assistance
Japan has provided approximately US$173 million in total, which includes funds provided through international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Food Program, and the African Development Bank.
Personnel Contribution
- So far, in total, 20 Japanese experts have participated in WHO missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
- Japan has also dispatched two Self-Defense Force personnel to the headquarters of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Germany to support liaison activities.
- An official from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who holds a medical license, was dispatched to the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) as senior advisor to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General from December 2014 to March 2015.
In-kind Contribution
- Japan has provided US$920,000 worth of emergency relief goods, such as tents and blankets, to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
- The Government of Japan has provided the affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali) with 720,000 sets of personal protective equipment donated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Out of the above, 20,000 sets were delivered on December 8, 2014, by a Self-Defense Forces aircraft to Ghana. The UNMEER has distributed them to the affected countries. A total of 42 vehicles, including ambulances, and 95 beds, donated by local governments and private companies in Japan, have been shipped to Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Possible Further Assistance
A Japanese pharmaceutical company has developed a drug called Avigan® Tablet (Favipiravir) which could be effective against Ebola virus disease. The drug has already been used for several evacuated patients as an emergency treatment. The Japanese manufacturer has provided the drug for free for the clinical trials being conducted by the Government of Guinea and other parties. The Government of Japan is willing to provide the drug for large-scale clinical use on request, on the condition that efficiency and safety are confirmed for Ebola patients.
