The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and LIXIL Corporation (LIXIL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate global access to safe sanitation and hygiene. This public-private partnership aims to reach 500,000 people across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia by fostering a self-sustaining “Sanitation Economy.”
The global sanitation crisis remains a critical development challenge, impacting health, education, and economic stability. Diarrheal diseases linked to poor hygiene claim the lives of approximately 440,000 children annually. As climate change increases the frequency of natural disasters, the need for resilient, localized infrastructure is urgent.
A New Model for Sustainable Change
This partnership bridges JICA’s institutional expertise with LIXIL’s SATO business model, which provides affordable, accessible sanitation solutions. Moving beyond traditional aid, the initiative focuses on creating local ecosystems, encompassing manufacturing, sales, and maintenance, that empower communities to sustain their own facilities.
“Global challenges surrounding water and sanitation remain severe, and many people still lack access to safe sanitation and hygiene services. It has also become clear that simply building facilities does not ensure that hygiene practices take root, “ commented Akihiko Tanaka, President of JICA, highlighting the urgent need to create mechanisms that function sustainably on the ground.
“This partnership with LIXIL brings together JICA’s strengths in institutional development and government cooperation with LIXIL’s expertise in product development, market creation, and field-level business expansion. By doing so, we aim to move beyond conventional aid and realize a ‘Sanitation Economy’ where sanitation services circulate autonomously. By accumulating concrete achievements on the ground, starting with Kenya and Malawi, we will deliver sustainable changes to the lives of people in developing countries as a model for Japanese public-private partnership.”
“Globally, approximately 3.4 billion people still lack access to safely managed sanitation,” added Kinya Seto, President and CEO of LIXIL. “LIXIL has set a goal to improve sanitation and hygiene for the ‘next 100 million people’ by the fiscal year ending March 2031. To address complex and profound global challenges, including sanitation access, refugee self-reliance, and climate change, we must further accelerate the creation of a market-driven ‘Sanitation Economy’ that grows autonomously on the ground, leveraging this new public-private partnership with JICA and national governments.
Initial Focus: Kenya and Malawi
The partnership will launch in Kenya and Malawi, targeting homes, schools, and healthcare facilities:
Kenya: In collaboration with the Kenyan government’s “Shirika Plan,” the initiative will support refugee self-reliance in the Kakuma region by integrating JICA’s water infrastructure with LIXIL’s SATO products.
Malawi: The partnership will focus on climate-resilient water and sanitation systems capable of withstanding natural disasters.
This initiative does more than solve local challenges; it contributes to global health and stability while demonstrating the impact of Japanese corporate technology and expertise in sustainable development.