The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture are advancing global health solutions through the “One Health” initiative, which links human, animal and environmental well-being. Since 2022, this partnership has united experts, students, and institutions from both regions to promote collaborative research, education, and cultural exchanges, aiming to build a more resilient future for Hawaiʻi, Fukuoka, and beyond.
Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country.
—Jerissa Ching Choe
In October 2024, UH representatives Sandra Chang, tropical medicine professor, and Jerissa Ching Choe, PhD student, traveled to Fukuoka to meet students and officials, exploring new initiatives and preparing for the Youth Development Program in December. This program will bring more Fukuoka students to Hawaiʻi, offering an immersive experience to deepen their understanding of health and sustainability in Hawaiʻi’s cultural context.
The collaboration was formalized in April 2023 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at UH Mānoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), underscoring a commitment to bridging education, health and sustainability. Throughout 2023, officials developed joint activities, including a high school exchange program and proposed a One Health curriculum for Fukuoka universities. In December 2023, Fukuoka sponsored select high school students to visit Hawaiʻi, where they connected with local peers, met with JABSOM faculty, and explored the Hawaiian healing garden to gain new perspectives on global health.
“Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country,” said Ching Choe. “I felt empowered to share my knowledge about One Health from Hawaiʻi to communities in Fukuoka. This trip made me not only appreciate the importance of One Health, but it widened my perspective on what the One Health approach looks like around the world. I plan to use this experience to drive my career pathway in One Health.”
UH certificate program offered to Fukuoka students
In June 2024, UH signed a second MOU with Japan’s Tsuzuki Education Group to expand its One Health Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate Program, enabling pharmacy students in Japan to participate through a blend of virtual and in-person learning. Created by UH faculty across JABSOM, the Office of Public Health Studies, the Pacific Biosciences Research Center, and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, this program prepares students to address complex health issues with a holistic perspective. Initial funding was provided by the Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative in 2019.
To date, JABSOM has sent three medical students and one PhD student to Japan to share their One Health experiences. Together, UH and Fukuoka are creating opportunities for future generations to address shared global challenges and foster interconnected, resilient communities.
