Japan bolsters pandemic readiness with new health crisis institute
The Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS), established in April, represents the centerpiece of a strengthened framework designed to apply hard-learned lessons from the early missteps of the pandemic.
'By bringing together diverse knowledge and expertise, we aim to reinforce our health crisis management system,' said Norihiro Kokudo, president of JIHS, during the organization's inauguration ceremony. The institute combines the functions of the former National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) to create an integrated research and advisory body.
JIHS conducts research that ranges from basic virology to clinical studies, while also providing scientific counsel to policymakers and communicating information to the public.
The organization's launch comes amid a broader shift in Japan's pandemic preparedness infrastructure following COVID-19's reclassification to Class 5 — the same tier as seasonal influenza — on May 8, 2023.
In the event of a serious outbreak of an infectious disease, the institute is tasked with alerting the government, which would then activate its contingency plans and coordinate with prefectural authorities to implement a response.
Takaji Wakita, deputy head of the JIHS, said the institute would provide 'solid scientific knowledge' to both the government and the public, as the country seeks to bolster its preparedness for future pandemics.
In an interview with Jiji Press in April, Wakita, a virologist who previously headed the NIID, said the lessons of COVID-19 had driven the creation of the new agency.
'The experience during the coronavirus pandemic showed that information gathering, analysis, and the provision of scientific insights were insufficient,' he said. He pointed to shortcomings in Japan's infrastructure for the development of vaccines and treatments.
'Our reflections on that led to the establishment of JIHS,' he added. 'We're building a system in which doctors can both treat patients and engage in clinical research to develop therapeutics.'
Wakita served as chair of the health ministry's advisory board throughout the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis. He now plays a key role in the newly consolidated organization, which merges the NIID with the NCGM — an institution with both research and hospital functions.
'From vaccine R&D to treatment and workforce training, an integrated approach is essential,' Wakita said. 'We aim to respond not only to infectious diseases but to health crises more broadly.'
The government has emphasized preparedness during noncrisis periods, but Wakita cautioned that this can be difficult. 'What makes infectious disease countermeasures challenging is that, in normal times, there are no patients,' he said.
To bridge that gap, JIHS began monitoring acute respiratory infections — including the common cold — in April, gathering patient data and analyzing specimens from designated medical institutions across the country. In doing so, it hopes to detect potential new pathogens at an earlier stage.
'By collecting broad data, we can detect anomalies like the emergence of unknown infectious diseases,' Wakita said. 'We will provide the government with steady, science-based advice.'
Translated by The Japan Times
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