Malaria No More Japan (MNMJ) was born in October 2012 in Japan, a country that has itself overcome malaria. It began operating as an NPO corporation in February 2013 and became a certified NPO corporation in June 2015. Its purpose is to build a global movement to end malaria, mainly in Asian countries, through awareness-raising and policy advocacy.
Its work rests on three pillars: policy advocacy, partnership promotion and the "ZERO Malaria 2030 Campaign." In April 2017 it made a declaration to aim for malaria control by 2030. Its website also introduces a video in which a health vice-minister speaks about public-private cooperation, a study session for members of the Diet, the "Zero Malaria Award" ceremony, and a public-private dialogue on malaria control in the Asia-Pacific region.
The explanatory page on the site summarizes malaria in an easy-to-understand way. According to the World Malaria Report 2021 published by WHO, there were an estimated 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 deaths worldwide in 2020, and about 80% of those who died were children under five. It also explains that malaria was once a familiar disease in Japan, with zero malaria achieved in Okinawa in 1962.
Key points
- Established in October 2012; a certified NPO corporation since June 2015
- Works on policy advocacy, partnership promotion and the "ZERO Malaria 2030 Campaign"
- Explains the basics of malaria and its history in Japan clearly on its website
Why this organization deserves attention
Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet it still affects the lives of many children. As an organization engaging with this issue from Japan through awareness-raising and public-private partnerships, its work carries great significance.
Learning that Japan once overcame malaria makes it feel less like a distant story and more like an issue connected to us. It is also easy to take part, as there are ways for both individuals and organizations to give support.
Editor's comment
The sentence "the animal that kills the most people in the world is the mosquito" makes you stop and think. It shows that the mosquitoes around us and infectious diseases worldwide are connected by a single line.
The "What is malaria?" page on the official website is also recommended as reading. Why not start by learning more?