April 25 is World Malaria Day: The relationship between Japan and malaria, and KINCHO's initiatives

April 25 is World Malaria Day.
Malaria is one of the world's three major infectious diseases, alongside HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Even today, more than 600,000 precious lives are lost every year.
We have summarized the relationship between Japan and malaria, what Japanese people should be aware of, and KINCHO's initiatives.

What is Malaria?

Malariais a life-threatening infectious disease caused by malaria parasites entering the human body through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito. Plasmodium falciparum, in particular, is prone to becoming severe, causing anemia, respiratory distress, and encephalopathy, and often leads to death.
According to WHO estimates, there were approximately 282 million cases and about 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024. Approximately 94-95% of cases and deaths are concentrated in the African region, and about 75% of those who die are children under the age of five.

April 25 is World Malaria Day

Recommended preventive measures for malaria include mosquito nets, insecticides, prophylactic drugs, and vaccines. Although malaria is a preventable disease, the reality is that the number of victims worldwide has not decreased.
The background to this includes an increase in breeding sources due to heavy rain and flooding caused by climate change, and the expansion of distribution to high-altitude and temperate regions, making continuous awareness-raising and international efforts against malaria a major challenge.
Every year, April 25 is World Malaria Day. It was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the purpose of raising awareness and promoting international cooperation toward the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and eradication of malaria.

Japan and Malaria: Use insect repellent when traveling abroad

Although Anopheles mosquitoes inhabit Japan, it is considered that the possibility of malaria re-emerging domestically is extremely low under current sanitary conditions.
However, in the past, malaria occurred in various parts of Japan, and a large-scale outbreak occurred in the Yaeyama Islands during World War II, so it is by no means a disease unrelated to us.
Furthermore, there is a historical connection between Japan and malaria, such as descriptions of malaria in "The Tale of Genji" and the theory that Taira no Kiyomori died of malaria.
In addition, Japan has been providing multifaceted support for many years in the global malaria problem, starting with the popularization of mosquito nets in the 1990s, as well as through various financial cooperation, technical provision, and research and development.

On the other hand, malaria is mainly reported in Japan every year as an imported infectious disease by travelers from the African region. When traveling abroad, please check for local infectious diseases on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Quarantine Station website, and be sure to take measures such as bringing insect repellent spray in areas where mosquito-borne infectious diseases are prevalent.

KINCHO's Initiatives

The most important thing in preventing mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as malaria is 'not getting bitten by mosquitoes'.
KINCHO has developed many advanced insecticides. Hoping that they will be useful not only in Japan but also around the world, we are proceeding with verification of their effectiveness against local mosquitoes.
In addition to effectiveness, we aim to popularize them while carefully considering 'what kind of formulations will be accepted by local people and actually be useful' in regions with different cultures and living environments.
In Thailand, through joint research with local universities, we have developed mosquito coils that are highly effective against Aedes aegypti, which transmits dengue fever, and are selling them locally.
In Uganda, where the malaria infection rate is particularly high on the African continent, we confirmed the high effectiveness of ' Mosquito Repellent Spray (quasi-drug for pest control).' And because this formulation also suited the lifestyles of the local people, sales of the 'Mosquito Repellent Spray' have also begun within Uganda.

In addition, KINCHO has long supported and worked together with the ' Japan WHO Association,' which conducts health promotion activities both domestically and internationally in cooperation with the WHO.
Since its founding, KINCHO has been facing pests and continuing efforts to protect the lives and livelihoods of people around the world.