July 24, 2021 -(TDI): Motegi Toshimitsu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Dr. Tedros Adhanon, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) met on July 23.
Motegi appreciated the efforts of Dr. Tedro and the WHO in combatting the rapid spread of COVID-19 and paid his tribute to the organization for ensuring safety at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. Dr. Tedros in return expressed his gratitude towards Japan for being the host for Tokyo Games, an event that encourages people to be athletic globally, and reiterated WHO’s willingness to continue supporting Japan in its initiative. In the later part of the meeting, Mr. Motegi shed light on Japan’s vaccine donation through the COVAX facility which was met by Dr. Tedros’ appreciation towards Japan’s efforts in ensuring greater access to vaccines.
In addition, Motegi stated that Japan will continue to cooperate with the WHO because it believes that the geographical vacuum in responding effectively to global health issues should be omitted. He also stated that it is necessary to learn about the origin of the pandemic virus. On the other hand, Dr. Tedros discussed his intention to strengthen cooperation with Japan to enhance their preparedness for health crises that may emerge in the future. Lastly, Minister Motegi extended an invitation to the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit, expected to be held in December, which was gladly accepted by Dr. Tedros.
