In June 2025, representatives from the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), Kristina Osbjer and Theresa Høgenhaug, travelled to Japan for a series of high-level engagements aimed at strengthening international collaboration on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Their visit included participation in the Nordic Health Days at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, a co-organised high-level event in Tokyo, delivering a lecture on AMR and One Health at the University of Tokyo, and bilateral meetings.
Global dialogue at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka
On 26 June, ICARS actively took part in the AMR session held at the Nordic Pavilion during the Nordic Health Days at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. The session served as a platform for dialogue between stakeholders from Japan, the Nordic countries, and the broader international community. It focused on how countries are addressing AMR through national strategies and how global cooperation can accelerate progress.
Opening the session, Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde emphasised that AMR knows no borders, and neither should the solutions. She underscored the need for coordinated international action to address AMR effectively, calling attention to the shared responsibility of nations to address the spread of drug-resistant infections.
Dr Kristina Osbjer, speaking on behalf of ICARS, stressed the urgency of global collaboration, particularly in light of achieving the targets set out by the 2024 UN Declaration on AMR. She highlighted the need for shared learning and commitment to implementing national action plans, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the burden of AMR is greatest. She also noted the importance of integrating AMR mitigation with broader global priorities such as pandemic preparedness, food security, health systems strengthening, and climate action.
High-level AMR event in Tokyo
ICARS was pleased to co-organise a high-level meeting in Tokyo in collaboration with the Royal Danish Embassy, the British Embassy in Tokyo, and the Japanese Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI). The event aimed to build momentum for renewed global action on AMR and foster long-term partnerships between Japan, Denmark, the UK, and ICARS.
Held at the Danish Ambassador’s residence, the event brought together senior officials and experts from government, academia, national institutes, and multilateral organisations. In her keynote speech, Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde emphasised the urgency of collaborative responses to AMR and the importance of translating knowledge into action, especially in LMICs. She also commended ICARS for its global leadership and highlighted tangible results from ICARS-supported projects in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan as examples of evidence-based interventions making real-world impact.
Dr Kristina Osbjer addressed the importance of sustainable financing, political commitment, and effective coordination in achieving measurable results in AMR mitigation. She underlined ICARS’ commitment to supporting the implementation of national action plans through context-specific, evidence-based solutions and emphasised the vital role of LMICs in shaping the global response.
The event offered an opportunity for in-depth exchanges on successful initiatives already underway in Japan and Denmark, including surveillance systems, responsible antimicrobial use, and capacity strengthening. The dialogue also covered how existing funding mechanisms can be better utilised to sustain progress in a context of shrinking global health and development resources.
One Health, One Planet
Continuing its outreach in Japan, ICARS co-hosted a public lecture on 24 June at the University of Tokyo, alongside HGPI. Titled One Health, One Planet—Combating AMR for a Sustainable Future, the event brought together faculty, students, and professionals to explore the interconnections between human health, animal health, and the environment in the context of AMR.
Dr Osbjer presented on the global burden of AMR, the role of integrated interventions, and ICARS’ collaborative work in LMICs. Attendees engaged in discussions around environmental AMR surveillance, the implications of urbanisation, and the effectiveness of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) interventions.
Looking ahead
ICARS is grateful for the warm welcome and meaningful exchanges with partners and stakeholders in Japan. The visit reinforced the value of shared learning and cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing AMR, and ICARS looks forward to continued dialogue and partnership with Japan, the UK, and Denmark to advance solutions and sustainable impact in addressing AMR.