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TOKYO; Mar. 1, 2013 - Malaria No More Japan (henceforth referred to as MNM Japan), the first Asian arm of Malaria No more (henceforth referred to as MNM), that is a nonprofit organization determined to help end malaria deaths in Africa, today announced that MNM Japan became a specified non-profit organization in Japan of February 28, 2013 following approval by Tokyo.

Malaria is an infectious disease spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The malaria parasites enter a person’s red blood cells where they grow and multiply. The disease annually kills some 650,000 people worldwide (Note 1) and it still remains one of the top 3 causes of deaths in children under the age of five. By leveraging high-impact awareness campaigns to engage the world and global advocacy to rally leadership, The U.S.-based MNM works to keep the malaria fight high on the U.S. and global agenda. It works together with governments and other non-profit organizations, the United Nations and companies in the private sector to make policy suggestions. In the United States, successive presidents have taken the initiative in this effort and there is growing awareness in the country for the importance of this agenda. This growing recognition is reflected in the rise in the number of public awareness of malaria as a serious global problem from 28% in 2006 to over 50% in 2011(Note 2).

MNM Japan is the fourth global office, following those established in Canada, UK and Netherlands. It was established to accelerate the global effort to exterminate malaria in Japan and the rest of Asia. It is the only non-profit organization in Japan devoted to this issue, and it is contributing to efforts to have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria, one of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals by educating the public and offering policy suggestions.

“We are honored that Malaria No More Japan has been officially approved from Tokyo Metropolitan Government. As the first NPO organization in Japan focused exclusively on Malaria, we believe that MNMJ has a crucial role to play in the global malaria campaign,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More United States. “This alliance and partnership will be very important not only for Japan but also for Asia and ASEAN region. We are pleased to work together toward the goal of No Malaria death in near future.”

“We must work together with the people in Asian region which enjoys rapid economic development, to educate the public and support activities to eradicate malaria, an infectious disease that is a latent threat to sustainable development and human security. It is for this purpose that a non-profit organization that works specifically on the eradication of malaria set up an office in Japan, its first in Asia. MNM Japan will work to inform the Japanese government and companies in the private sector, including those in Japan, about the importance of exterminating this disease. By preventing human loss from malaria in Africa and Asia, we can help improve the quality of life in these areas as part of our aim to contribute to establishing a sustainable society.” said, Takahiro Shinyo, Chairman of the Board, MNM Japan.

MNM Japan will work to educate the public in Japan and other nations in Asia about the threat from malaria, as well as the treatment and support activity by effectively using websites and new media through events and campaigns related to World Malaria Day on April 25, 2013 and TICAD V in Yokohama in June.

MNM Japan Organization Facts

(Note 1) Some 650,000 people died of malaria in 2010, according to a study by WHO. Roughly 90 percent of the fatalities were reported in the sub-Sahara region south of Africa, which suffers from extreme poverty. Many of the victims were young children under the age of 5. When a person who has no immunity is bitten by an infected mosquito, initial symptoms such as a fever, headache, cold chills and vomiting appear about a week later. But these symptoms can be light and people often fail to recognize that they have been infected. The fever, however, often develops into complication of encephalosis, acute kidney failure, bleeding or hepatic damage which can lead to death.

(Note 2) According to MNM, the number of public awareness of malaria in US as a serious global problem rose from 28% in 2006 to over 50% in 2011.

About Malaria No More 
Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015-and we're helping the world get it done. Malaria No More leverages high-impact communications to engage the world, global advocacy to rally leadership and strategic investments to accelerate progress. Find out how you can help us reach our deadline and make malaria no more at www.MalariaNoMore.org.

About Malaria No More Japan 
Malaria No More Japan is the first Asian arm of a global non-profit organization. It was established in October 2012, and was approved by Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a specified non-profit organization in February 2013. It offers information and policy suggestions to Japan and other Asian countries to help achieve one of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, which is to have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria. Find out how you can help us reach our deadline and make malaria no more at www.mnmj.asia/