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Foundation of the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS):
A New Era in Japan’s Infectious Disease Response and Research

Koji Wada Deputy-Director General, Bureau of Planning and Strategy
National Center for Global Health and Medicine

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global reassessment of governmental structures, resulting in major organizational changes aimed at enhancing crisis response capabilities for future pandemics. In Japan, these changes involved restructuring the frameworks for planning and executing policies to effectively address emerging health threats. As part of these reforms, the Japanese government decided to create a new institution, which was later named the Kokuritsu Kenko Kikikanri Kenkyu Kikou (国立健康危機管理研究機構) in Japanese and the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) in English. This new institution will be formed through the merger of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), with operations set to begin on April 1, 2025.

Mission
The mission of the JIHS is to contribute to the creation of a resilient and secure society through the implementation of R&D on infectious diseases and other diseases, as well as the provision of medical care.

Vision
The vision of the JIHS is to become an "Integrated Science Center for Infectious Diseases" in Japan that leads the world in infectious diseases countermeasures, with world-class capabilities in information collection, analysis and risk assessment, research and development, and clinical functions.

JIHS will serve as a scientific advisory body during infectious disease crises, providing guidance to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare. Its mission builds on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on four key areas:

Through its integration, JIHS seeks to enhance existing systems and foster synergy between basic and clinical research. Serving as a hub for both domestic and international collaboration, JIHS will bring together vital information, drive innovative research, and provide transformative solutions to address the challenges posed by infectious diseases.

Logo
In conjunction with the establishment of JIHS, a new logo was created to represent the unification of the NIID and NCGM. The outer circle resembles a culture dish, symbolizing NIID's scientific research, while also representing the Earth, reflecting NCGM’s global health mission. The inner red circle mirrors Japan’s national flag, highlighting JIHS’s role as a national institution. The crossed lines represent the merger, underscoring the commitment and aspiration to advance infection control measures as a unified organization.

JIHS will become a center of excellence for infectious diseases, both within Japan and globally. By integrating resources, JIHS will strengthen the hospital's capacity to respond to crises, while maintaining its role in providing advanced medical care. Additionally, as a hub for global and domestic infectious disease networks, the institute will consolidate critical information, stimulate groundbreaking research, and develop transformative solutions for enhancing health security.

https://www.jihs.go.jp