SpringerLink
Log in

Japan’s Official Development Assistance in the 2010s: a Return to Economic Infrastructure and Private Sectors

  • Published:
East Asia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Japanese aid has been continuously criticized as its modalities are focused on economic infrastructure via loans. However, support for economic growth and infrastructure has become more important due to the growing influence of recipient needs and emerging donors. Accordingly, Japan’s perception and implementation of its aid in the changing international regime in the 2010s are a salient factor. This study clarifies the common and different features between the official development assistance before the 1990s and the 2010s to identify which characteristics “returned” from the “Japan model” in the past. The domestic background and factors were examined to explain the alteration concentrated on the meaning of aid in the Abe administration’s policy directions and domestic actors. The results indicate the aid modalities in the 2010s are similar to the aid in the 1980s in some aspects, putting emphasis on economic growth, infrastructure, and cooperation with private sectors. But “quality growth” came into the slogan in the 2010s, as Japan is not the largest donor anymore. The Prime minister’s office (Kantei) led the aid policy as a part of priority policy “Abenomics” to support the prime minister in the 2010s, while collaborations among Liberal Democratic Party members, bureaucrats, and private actors led the aid policy in the 1980s.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This paper focuses on mainly Official Development Cooperation (ODA), which is defined by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The definition of aid and development cooperation could be a bigger concept than ODA as other efforts than ODA have existed in many forms for global development.

References

  1. ADB. (2017). Meeting Asia’s infrastructure needs. Asian Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Arase, D. (1995). Buying power: The political economy of Japan's foreign aid. Lynne Rienner Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cabinet office. (2002). Gaikō ni kansuru seronchōsa 2002 [In Japanese: Opinion poll on diplomacy 2002] Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html

  4. Cabinet office. (2004). Gaikō ni kansuru seronchōsa 2004 [In Japanese: Opinion poll on diplomacy 2004] Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html

  5. Cabinet office. (2016). Gaikō ni kansuru seronchōsa 2016 [In Japanese: Opinion poll on diplomacy 2016] Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html

  6. Cabinet office. (2018). Gaikō ni kansuru seronchōsa 2018 [In Japanese: Opinion poll on diplomacy 2018] Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html

  7. Chandy, L., & Kharas, H. (2011). Why can’t we all just get along? The practical limits to international development cooperation. Journal of International Development, 23(5), 739-751. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.1797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chin, G., & Thakur, R.(2010). Will China change the rules of global order?. The Washington Quarterly, 33(4), 119-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163660x.2010.516145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hirata, K. (1998). New challenges to Japan's aid: An analysis of aid policy-making. Pacific Affairs, 311–334.

  10. Hulme, D., & Sifaki, E. (2018). From ‘international’ to ‘global’ development in the UK? Recent evidence from political party manifestos. Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 2018–025, 1–30.

  11. Ichihara, M. (2021). Japanese Democracy After Shinzo Abe. Journal of Democracy, 32(1), 81-95. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2021.0002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. JANIC. (Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation)(2019). Civil Society Report for OECD-DAC Peer Review. Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation.

  13. JICA. (2016). JICA annual report2016. JICA.

  14. JICA. (2019). JICA annual report2019. JICA.

  15. JICA. (2020). JICA annual report2020. JICA.

  16. Jung, H., & Takahashi, M. (2022). Quest for sublation of economic development and poverty reduction: Dual features of Japan’s aid in the post-cold war era and after. In H. Kwon., T. Yamagata., E. Kim., & H. Kondoh.(Eds.), International Development Cooperation of Japan and South Korea (pp. 105-128). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4601-0_5

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Keidanren. (2013a). Infura shisutemu kaigai tenkai no kidō-teki katsu senryaku-tekina suishin o motomeru [In Japanese: requires a mobile and strategic overseas deployment of our country’s infrastructure system] Retrieved May 12, 2022, from https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2013/035.html

  18. Keidanren. (2013b). Oda yosan no kakujū to kokusai hyōjunka senryaku no suishin o motomeru (policy suggestion [In Japanese: Call for expansion of ODA budget and promotion of international standardization strategy] Retrieved May 12, 2022, from https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2013/061.html

  19. Keidanren.(2018). Teigen senryaku-tekina infura shisutemu no kaigai tenkai ni mukete' o kōhyō [In Japanese: policy suggestion "Toward the overseas expansion of strategic infrastructure systems"] Retrieved May 12, 2022, from https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2018/020_gaiyo.pdf

  20. Kishida, F. (2014). Minutes No.3 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councillors of the 183rd. The House of Councillors.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kishida, F. (2015). Minutes No.4 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councillors of the 186th. The House of Councillors.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kokka senryaku kaigi no setchi kettei 18 kaigi o shūyaku haishi. (21st Oct 2011). [In Japanese: Government decided to establish a national strategic meeting 18 meetings were consolidated or abolished], Nikkei. Retrieved 30 May, 2022 from https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFS2100L_R21C11A0MM0000/

  23. Lightfoot, S., Mawdsley, E., & Szent ‐ Iványi,B.(2017). Brexit and UK international development policy. The Political Quarterly, 88(3), 517-524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mataichi, S. (2015) Minutes No.4 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councillors of the 186th. The House of Councillors.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mawdsley, E., Savage, L., & Kim, S. M. (2014). A ‘post‐aid world'? paradigm shift in foreign aid and development cooperation at the 2011 Busan high level forum. The Geographical Journal, 180(1), 27-38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Mawdsley, E., Murray, W. E., Overton, J., Scheyvens, R., & Banks, G. (2018). Exporting stimulus and “shared prosperity”: Reinventing foreign aid for a retroliberal era. Development Policy Review, 36, O25-O43. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. MITI. (1988). Keizaikyouryoku no genzyo to mondaiten [In Japanese: Current status and problems of economic cooperation]. Tsūshōsangyō chōsa-kai.

  28. MOFA. (1992). Official Development Assistance Charter. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  29. MOFA. (2002). ODA hakusyo [In Japanese: ODA white paper 2002]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/oda/shiryo/hakusyo/02_hakusho/ODA2002/html/honpen/index.html

  30. MOFA. (2003). Official Development Assistance Charter. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Google Scholar 

  31. MOFA. (2005). Japan’s Official Development Assistance White Paper 2005. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  32. MOFA. (2015). Development Cooperation Charter. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Murray, W. E., & Overton, J. (2016). Retroliberalism and the new aid regime of the 2010s. Progress in Development Studies, 16(3), 244-260. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464993416641576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Naim, M. (2007). Rogue aid. Foreign Policy, 159, 95-96.

    Google Scholar 

  35. OECD. (2020a). Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Japan 2020. OECD.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  36. OECD. (2020b). Private Sector Instruments for the SDGs: Transparency in Finance for Development. OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  37. OECD. (2021). OECD Stat. Retrieved December 06, 2021, from https://stats.oecd.org/

  38. OECD. (2022). OECD Stat. Retrieved June 05, 2022, from https://stats.oecd.org/

  39. OECD., & UNDP. (2020). Framework for SDG aligned finance. OECD&UNDP.

  40. Ohno, M. (2015). Minutes No.4 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councillors of the 186th. The House of Councillors.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Orr, R. M. (1990). The emergence of Japan’s foreign aid power. In The Emergence of Japan’s Foreign Aid Power. Columbia University Press.

  42. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. (2006). Establishment of the Overseas Economic Cooperation Council, Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Retrieved January 02, 2022, from https://japan.kantei.go.jp/policy/index/kaigai/konkyo_e.html

  43. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. (2013a). Keikyō infura senryaku kaigi no kaisai ni tsuite [In Japanese: About holding Keikyo Infrastructure Strategy Conference] Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet.

  44. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. (2013b). Infrastructure System Export Strategy, Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet.

  45. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. (2015). Statement by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Retrieved September 27, 2020, from https://japan.kantei.go.jp/97_abe/statement/201509/1212969_9928.html.

  46. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. (2020). Infura shisutemu kaigai tenkai senryaku 2025 [In Japanese: Infrastructure system overseas expansion strategy 2025]. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Retrieved September 27, 2015, from https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/keikyou/dai49/siryou2.pdf

  47. Rix, A. (1980). Japan's economic aid: Policy-making and politics. Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Sachs, J. D. (2015). Goal-based development and the SDGs: Implications for development finance. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 31(3-4), 268-278. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grv031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Sasada, H. (2019). Resurgence of the “Japan Model”? Japan’s Aid Policy Reform and Infrastructure Development Assistance. Asian Survey, 59(6), 1044-1069. https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2019.59.6.1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. SDGs Promotion Headquarters. (2016). SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles. SDGs Promotion Headquarters.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Shimomura, Y., & **, W. (2013). The evolution of aid, investment, trade synthesis in China and Japan. In: J. Sato, & Y. Shimomura (Eds.), The rise of Asian donors: Japan's impact on the evolution of emerging donors (pp. 114-132). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Shirato, K. (2020) Afurika kaihatsu kaigi `TICAD' tanjō hiroku (3 ) Owadasi Ga kataru `tojōkoku kaihatsu' e no mondaiishiki [In Japanese: Tokyo International Conference on African Development "TICAD" Birth Secret (3) Awareness of the problem of "develo** country development"]. 1, August 2020, Foresight, Shinchosya.

  53. Short, C. (2004). An Honourable Deception? New Labour, Iraq and the Misuse of Power. Free Press

    Google Scholar 

  54. Söderberg, M. (2010). Challenges or Complements for the West: Is There an ‘Asian’ Model of Aid Emerging?. In A. Sumner & R. Kiely (Eds.), Challenging the aid paradigm (pp. 107-137). Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230277281_5

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  55. Tatsumi, K. (2015) Minutes No.4 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councilors of the 186th, the House of Councilors.

  56. UN. (2015). Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN.

    Google Scholar 

  57. White, J. A. (1964). Japanese aid. Overseas Development Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Yamada, T. (2014) Minutes No.3 of the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance, the House of Councilors of the 183rd, the House of Councilors.

  59. Yamamoto, R. (2020). The trajectory of ODA’s strategic use and reforms–from Nakasone Yasuhiro to Abe Shinzō. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 74(6), 633-648. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357718.2020.1787335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Yamamoto, R. (2021). From Ashes to New: The Delegitimization and Comeback of Japan’s Official Development Assistance. In S. Maslow, & C. Wirth (Eds.), Social and Political Dynamics of Crisis and Institutional Change in Post-Cold War Japan (pp. 215-238). State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Yoshino, N., & Taghizadeh Hesary, F. (2014). Three Arrows of'Abenomics’ and the Structural Reform of Japan: Inflation Targeting Policy of the Central Bank, Fiscal Consolidation, and Growth Strategy. ADBI Working Paper 492. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2475730

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Hyomin Jung

Authors
  1. Hyomin Jung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hyomin Jung.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The author declares no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jung, H. Japan’s Official Development Assistance in the 2010s: a Return to Economic Infrastructure and Private Sectors. East Asia 40, 37–55 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-022-09389-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-022-09389-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation