6 Holding inter-ministerial meetings for nutrition improvement on a regular basis

Commitment to nutrition improvement

The Government of Japan commits to:

1. Further promoting Japan's nutrition policies for leaving no one behind which is the foundation of a sustainable society throughout the life course as an important part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) especially by the following measures:

Deploying a policy package with major nutrition policy actions including the promotion of a healthy diet and sustainable dietary environment by addressing issues such as excess sodium intake, underweight among young women and nutritional disparities caused by economic conditions. This would be implemented in collaboration with the government, businesses, academia and civil society, and

Publishing the progress and achievements of these policies annually starting from 2023.

2. Establishing a healthy and sustainable food system through accelerating innovation, digitalization and utilizing science and technology. The following measures would be taken to this end:

Promoting balanced dietary habits and "Shokuiku" (food and nutrition education) which supports sustainable food and nutrition together with various stakeholders based on "The Fourth Basic Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku" issued in March 2021 (https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/tech_res/attach/pdf/shokuiku-18.pdf), and

Promoting efforts in the process of procurement, production, processing, distribution and consumption at each stage and innovation for reducing the environmental burdens including carbon neutrality based on the "Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems (MeaDRI)" launched in May 2021 (https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/env/env_policy/meadri.html). This contributes to establishing a sustainable food system enriching the varied and nutritious food intake of the people.

3. Improving the value of companies which engage in the promotion of employees' health, including nutrition, by enhancing "Health and Productivity Management". The policy aims to do the followings:

Increasing the number of public-listed companies in Japan disclosing evaluation results related to their "Health and Productivity Management" by 2025, with an aim to make those companies' aggregate market value more than two thirds of the total market value of public-listed companies, and

Doubling the number of companies self-declaring to make their workplaces healthier from 50,000 in 2020 to over 100,000 by 2025.

4. Promoting school lunch and promoting "Shokuiku". Promoting nutritionally balanced school lunches, advancing further use of local produce in school lunches and implementing "Shokuiku" throughout school education activities based on relevant regulations such as "the School Lunch Program Act".

5. Carrying out international cooperation based on the recognition that nutrition is indispensable both for human life and the health, well-being and prosperity of society and the economy, with a view to achieving UHC and building Sustainable Food Systems. This cooperation aims to achieve international nutrition goals, including addressing the double burden of nutrition. Human security and the sustainability of the planet should also be considered. Japan commits a total of more than 300 billion yen (approximately USD $ 2.8 billion ) for nutrition-related assistance during the next three years through bilateral and multilateral assistance. This cooperation should be conducted with the participation of various actors from a wide range of sectors respecting developing countries' ownership and taking advantage of Japan's own experience. Concrete examples include the followings:

5-1. Promoting cross-sectoral measures for nutrition improvement through a wide range of related sectors such as health, agriculture, food, water, sanitation and education, and with bilateral and multilateral frameworks, while utilizing Japan's own experience such as nutrition surveys, nutritional guidance, the use of Maternal and Child Health Handbooks, the improvement of rural livelihoods, the diversification of agricultural production, the Japanese dietary patterns with excellent nutritional balance, the improvement of the water supply, the promotion of hand-washing, school lunches, "Shokuiku" and relevant science, technology and innovation. Especially for Africa, "Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa (IFNA)" would be accelerated looking ahead to TICAD 8 to be held in 2022;

5-2. Pledging USD $50 million to the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents Multi-Donor Trust Fund, as well as USD $ 20 million to the Scaling Up of Nutrition Investments Single-Donor Trust Fund for providing technical assistance for gathering data for developing nutrition indicators and developing policies for improvements in nutrition; mobilizing funding while implementing formulated plans in collaboration with IDA/IBRD; and incorporating the strengthening of human capital investment including nutrition into policy commitments for IDA 20 replenishment;

5-3. Promoting projects for implementation in nutrition under the Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative (AHWIN) and the Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative (AfHWIN) with a view to contributing to the achievement of UHC;

5-4. Facilitating improvements in nutrition including the establishment of business models for nutrition improvement and the promotion of work place meals in developing and emerging countries, respecting their own climate and food culture, through public-private partnership such as Nutrition Japan Public Private Platform; and

5-5. Conducting nutrition projects through funding to WHO programs. This includes financial assistance for measures for improving nutrition services focusing on low and middle income countries including policy development, knowledge sharing, formulation of international standards and guidelines, and technical cooperation for human resources development.

6. Establishing a multi-sectoral collaboration mechanism such as regular inter-governmental meetings to strengthen efforts of nutrition improvement both domestically and globally.