Edited by:
Jun Kobayashi, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the Ryukyus
Sachi Tomokawa, Faculty of Education, Shinsyu University
The Hashimoto Initiative has resulted in the rapid promotion of school health in low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa since its inception in 1997. The projects under the initiative, from as simple as handwashing to community approaches to health, have become more relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Japanese Consortium for Global School Health Research (JC-GSHR) is engaged in research on the global promotion of school health through Edu-port, a project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) since 2021. This aims to verify the Official Development Assistance programs and other programs that Japan has deployed to date, and to seek further expansion into new areas. In collaboration with the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, we have also begun to provide policy support for dissemination to Pacific Island countries.
We aim to call for an introduction to Japanese-style school health, which is attracting widespread attention, and case report on the current status of school health in low- and middle-income countries and its development in areas where implementation is new. In addition, school health that strengthens adolescent health will be presented, with a spotlight on mental health and comprehensive sex education.