In  2013, the Abe administration launched its Strategy on Global Health Diplomacy to promote efforts to achieve universal healthcare (i.e., a healthcare system that ensures that every person can receive basic health and medical services at an affordable cost), reflecting Japan’s high regard for healthcare as an important pillar within every country’s economic growth strategy. JCIE’s Global Health and Human Security outreach program offered the media opportunities to cover the state of healthcare in developing countries. It also allowed journalists to report on the effects that investments in healthcare have on a country’s development and to report on Japan’s contributions to international development and healthcare.

In the first year of the program, JCIE selected Myanmar as the destination in light of that country’s rapid democratization and economic reform in recent years, the accelerated pace of Japan’s investments there, and the priority position it holds in Japan’s ODA programs. Subsequent years focused on Kenya and Ethiopia.

JCIE has also organized health-related press tours through the Media program of the Friends of the Global Fund, Japan (FGFJ).