Japan pledges another US$800 million for COVAX

June 4 , 2021

On June 2, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged an additional US$800 million for COVAX Facility, a global initiative to procure COVID-19 vaccines to distribute among all participant-countries on an equitable basis. Suga made the decision following the 2021 COVAX Summit, which Japan cohosted online with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that day.

Leaders of some 40 countries attended the Summit, including US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Komeito has been among the strongest proponents of the initiative in Japan, lobbying the government to take part since August 2020. Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi had proposed that the Japanese government increase its funding by at least US$700 million in a meeting with the Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition government partner, earlier in the day. The latest allocation raises Japan’s total contribution to COVAX Facility to US$1 billion, enabling COVAX Facility to surpass the US$8.3 billion goal it set to secure at the Summit.

Komeito has been supporting COVAX Facility and other initiatives as a way to provide vaccines to developing countries that cannot afford them.