Japan's government plans to launch a training center for foreign public health officials as part of efforts to realize universal health coverage, or UHC.

UHC is meant to ensure that everyone has access to quality health care and medical services without causing financial hardship.

The plan to set up the facility in Japan next year in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the World Bank comes after the topic was discussed at the Group of Seven Hiroshima Summit in May last year.

The G7 leaders made clear in their communique their commitment to working together to achieve UHC by 2030.

The Japanese health ministry said the center will welcome health and financial officials from African and Southeast Asian nations and elsewhere.

The ministry said training programs will center around learning Japan's universal healthcare system and nursing services, as well as how to finance such schemes.

Health minister Takemi Keizo said the planned facility will be a global training center for UHC-related personnel. Takemi said Japan will make use of the expertise it has gained from dealing with the nation's aging society.