04
Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

Part

Principal Activities
in FY20131

Part 1

Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2

Description of Projects

Reference Materials

Special Support for the Provision of Strategic ODA:
Feature Through Non-Project Grant Aid, Aiming to Support Growth in Emerging

and Developing Countries Together with Japan

Win

Win

JICS

Japan’s Grant Aid for Provision of Industrial Products procures for developing countries
such industrial products as construction machinery, electrical equipment and medical equipment, which have been manufactured in areas affected by the Great East
Japan Earthquake (northern Kanto and Tohoku regions). In addition to supporting
the economic and social development efforts of recipient countries, the program waslaunched as a means of contributing to recovery in disaster-affected areas.
For the commencement of this program, JICS conducted a survey of information on
products produced by companies located in the disaster-affected areas and classified
this information into various categories. Hence, JICS was involved from the product-list
compilation stage. When the program was implemented, although difficulties wereencountered in matching companies with the needs of developing countries due tothe limited number of firms that manufacture industrial goods as complete finished

Kimiyo Tonesaku

General Director
Second Management Department

Yoko Nakamura

Second Special Project Management Division
Second Management Department(Staff member in charge of Non-Project Grant
Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced
Products and Its System [Medical Equipment andWelfare Apparatus Package])

Nobuyuki Ezaki

Second Country Assistance Division
Third Management Department(Staff member in charge of Non-Project Grant
Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced
Products and Its System [Next-Generation EcoFriendly Vehicle Package])05
Support for the Provision of Strategic ODA

Japan's Grant Aid for Provision of Industrial Products / Non-Project
Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese SMEs Products

J

Annual Report 2013

Within the “Priority Policy for International Cooperation” set by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, continuing on from FY2013, in FY2014 one of the priority policies is “ODA tosupport emerging/developing countries to grow together with Japan.” This aims to put
Japan’s excellent technology and knowledge to use in emerging and developing countries and thereby promote poverty reduction and economic progress in such countries.
Simultaneously, it aims to bring about growth in Japan’s economy.
To translate this diplomatic policy into reality, several programs have been established to facilitate the procurement of Japanese companies’ excellent products throughfunds granted by the Japanese government. The first of these product-provision-type
ODA programs was Japan’s Grant Aid for Provision of Industrial Products, which waslaunched in 2011 following the Great East Japan Earthquake. This was followed in
FY2012 by the establishment of Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese Smalland Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Products, Non-Project Grant Aid for Introductionof Japanese Advanced Products and Its System (Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Vehicle
Package), and Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced Products
and Its System (Medical Equipment and Welfare Apparatus Package). Based on these
programs, in addition to promoting economic growth and other benefits in emerging
and developing countries, there are high expectations that a “show window effect” forsuch Japanese products will help to build a foothold for further overseas expansion by
Japanese companies.
Below is an overview of each of these four programs, along with progress in theirimplementation and issues to be addressed.

E IN JAPAN

Through ODA, Building Win–Win Relationships between Japan andEmerging and Developing Countries

MAD

Win

Japan International Cooperation System

Non-Project Grant Aid provides funds to developing countries for the importationof necessary equipment and materials from overseas. Such grant aid supports Development
Four Programs that Procure
developing countries that are carrying out economic and social development
Excellent Products Made
programs, including those focused on poverty reduction. At the point
in Japan
Developing
when the decision is made to provide assistance, the assistance isO Japan's Grant Aid for Provision of IndusCountries
not attached to any specific project and goods to be procured cantrial Products
be selected flexibly based on the recipient country’s needs andO Non-Project Grant Aid for Provisionof Japanese Small and Medium sized
coordination with other donors. Hence this type of assistanceEnterprises (SMEs) Products
has a high degree of latitude.
O Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction
Some assistance is executed in accordance with objecof Japanese Advanced Products and Its
System (Next-Generation Eco-Friendly
tives considered to have importance at a particular time, andVehicle Package)
recently there has been a trend toward the utilization ofO Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction
products made by Japanese companies with the aimof Japanese Advanced Products and Its
Japanese
Government
System (Medical Equipment and Welfareof simultaneously promoting development in develApparatus Package)
Enterprisesof Japanoping countries and the overseas advancement ofJapanese enterprises.
In this special feature article, three JICS staff memAssistancebers involved in this area provide an overview of Non- Advancement
Overseas
Project Grant Aid, which is becoming more diversified,and discuss JICS’ role in these programs.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

Special Support for the Provision of Strategic ODA:
Feature Through Non-Project Grant Aid, Aiming to Support Growth in Emerging

Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013and Developing Countries Together with Japan

Support for the Provision of Strategic ODA

06

products, by leveraging the information and know-how acquired by JICS through its
broad procurement experience, the selection of supplier companies and procurement of products was carried out rapidly. As of August 2014, a cumulative total of 50
contracts had been signed and products were being steadily delivered to 19 countries,
including Uzbekistan and Tunisia. In FY2014, grants to such countries as Tonga, Dominica and Saint Lucia have been agreed upon.
Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese Small and Medium sized Enterprises(SMEs) Products aims to solve development issues faced by developing countries by
procuring and utilizing products manufactured by Japanese small and medium sizedenterprises (SMEs). At the same time, the program also has the objective of helping
to build a foothold for Japanese SMEs to expand into overseas markets. Since FY2012,
grants through this program have been agreed upon with 16 recipient countries,
including Mongolia and the Dominican Republic. Sixteen contracts have already beensigned, and the delivery of goods has commenced.
Similar to Japan’s Grant Aid for Provision of Industrial Products, Non-Project Grant Aidfor Provision of Japanese Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Products faces
the difficulty of matching the products that can be provided by Japanese companies
with the requests of developing countries. Although JICS narrows down an optimal
list of products in accordance with the content of the requests received from developing countries, there are cases where it is necessary to look for a substitute product due
to the actual product not corresponding to the product assumed by the requesting
country based on the product name. There are also instances in which it can take an extended period to decide on the product to be procured. This may be due to a company
withdrawing from participation in the program since it does not have a local sales officein the recipient country and so there are difficulties in providing inspection, repairs or
maintenance services. Such factors can also lead to a change in the actual item tobe procured.
It would be useful to provide a brief introduction here to one case example as anillustration. In January 2015, composting toilets are scheduled to be delivered to Peru’snational parks, which are famous worldwide for such archeological sites as Machu
Picchu and the Nazca Lines. Since the national parks do not have such infrastructure
as electricity and water supply, it is planned to install composting toilets, which canoperate autonomously using solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation. Sewage will
be composted by microbes in wood sawdust, meaning the impact on the surrounding
environment will be small. The Peruvian government places a high priority on protecting the environment of its national parks, and hence holds high expectations for thiscomposting toilet system. The aim of this grant program is to introduce overseas the
products of Japanese SMEs, which possess advanced technology.
The contract with the SME supplier not only includes delivery of the product but
also requires that they provide in-country training and dispatch engineers. By doing so,
the contract conditions are designed to facilitate the SME establishing a foothold foroverseas business expansion. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is also
involved in providing a wide variety of support for SMEs involved in expansion overseas,
and creating linkage with these programs is now under consideration.

Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced Products
and Its System (Medical Equipment and Welfare Apparatus Package)*This program supports the improvement and development of the medical, healthcare
and welfare fields in emerging and developing countries through the procurement ofJapanese medical equipment and welfare apparatus, which is underpinned by worldleading technology. The program also helps to build the “Japan Brand” in recipient
countries, and aims to promote the spread of Japanese-manufactured products. To
date, grants under this program have been agreed upon with Indonesia, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, El Salvador, Mongolia, Jordan, and Georgia. As the
procurement agent for each of these countries, JICS is steadily delivering the procured
goods, mainly centering on public hospitals in and near capital cities and regional cities.
The products procured include such large diagnostic imaging systems as CT scanners
and X-ray equipment as well as such advanced medical apparatus as endoscopes andhemodialysis machines.
In Sri Lanka, the installation of a CT scanner at the recipient hospital along with training for medical staff was completed in April 2014. For JICS, this was the first time we
had been involved in the procurement of a large, high-precision medical system,

Medical equipment and materials displayed at
the handover ceremony (Pakistan / Japan's Grant
Aid for Provision of Industrial Products)

Composting toilet trial model (Peru)*In FY2013, the program’s name was changed
from Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese Medical Equipment to Non-Project Grant
Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced
Products and Its System (Medical Equipment
and Welfare Apparatus Package).

CT scanner/workstation (Sri Lanka)

Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced Products
and Its System (Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Vehicle Package)**In FY2013, the program’s name was changed
from Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision ofJapanese Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Vehicles
to Non-Project Grant Aid for Introduction ofJapanese Advanced Products and Its System(Next-Generation Vehicle Package).

07

Clean diesel vehicles being transported(Morocco)

Support for the Provision of Strategic ODA

Handover ceremony for hybrid vehicles
in Amman (Jordan)

Proactively Meeting Needs in New Fields
Although the number of years since the establishment of these four programs utilizing
products made by Japanese enterprises is still small, and there is room for adjustments
and improvements in program design and execution methods, all four programs are
centered on tied aid, and they have been received favorably by Japanese companies.
However, compared with international competitive tender-based programs, since
competition is limited one of the key tasks we face is how to keep costs down while
maintaining a satisfactory level of quality.
In addition, through these programs, JICS has the opportunity to exchange detailed
information with automobile and medical equipment manufacturers as well as SMEs
in local areas, and the points of contact JICS has with a diverse range of enterprises has
expanded. Against the backdrop of increased efforts to promote the overseas expansion of Japanese companies as part of a key national policy, JICS is leveraging theknowledge it has cultivated to date while it also seeks to work in new fields in which it
still lacks experience.

Annual Report 2013

“Next-generation eco-friendly vehicles” refers to types of vehicles that have been developed with such goals as reducing the use of gasoline and other fossil fuels as much as
possible and lowering environmental burden. Such vehicles include gasoline–electric
hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles andclean diesel vehicles.
This program grants vehicles to the public sectors of emerging and developing
countries. These world-leading, next-generation vehicles produced by Japan areenergy-efficient and have a low environmental footprint. As well as supporting theefforts of recipient-country governments in the environmental field, it is hoped thatthe products granted will also function as “mobile billboards” that will lead to Japanesecompanies capturing increased market share. Grants under this program have alreadybeen fulfilled in Jordan and Morocco, and further grants have been agreed upon withIndonesia, Peru, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Pakistan, the Dominican Republic, and Serbia.
The average age of public-sector vehicles in recipient countries is 10 years, withthe average vehicle having travelled 300,000–400,000 km. Since there are many cases
where vehicle fleets in these countries are becoming significantly aged, recipient-country governments welcome the opportunity to receive grants of Japanese-made nextgeneration vehicles, which boast high fuel efficiency and high-quality interiors andexteriors. For Japanese companies too, even if they have a global network of vehicle
dealerships in almost every country, the initial cost associated with next-generation vehicles compared with conventional gasoline vehicles is high, and market penetration isstill likely to take a considerable amount of time. Through this program, if state-of-theart eco-friendly vehicles are seen running on public roads as public-sector vehicles, thepromotional effect among the general public is high, and this is likely to act as a major
foothold in overseas market development.
Although the particular vehicle model granted depends on the request of the recipient country, EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles require not only the vehicles themselves but
also the establishment of such electricity-related infrastructure as charging facilities. While
there are difficulties involved, such as the time and effort required for preliminary studies and coordination with related institutions, such projects provide a boost for overseas
market development by Japanese companies in the area of electrical charging facilities.

Ambulances granted through Non-Project Grant
Aid for Provision of Japanese Medical Equipment(Viet Nam)Japan International Cooperation System

making it a particularly valuable experience. (For further details, please see pages 12–13.)
Normally, when a grant is for an industrial product, the warranty period is one year.
However, detailed and frequent inspections and maintenance are necessary to maintain the effectiveness and safety of such equipment as well as ensure that it is usedappropriately. For these reasons, JICS made a proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) regarding the supplier contracts recommending that multi-year
maintenance and service should be included. This proposal was adopted for procurements made from FY2013. The overall program is being reviewed on an ongoing basis,
and when problems are identified JICS makes proposals for their resolution. As a procurement services provider, one of the roles expected of JICS is to find ways of making
constant improvements.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

The Role of JICS in ODA
JICS’ sphere of involvement

P The Role of JICS in the Japanese Government’s ODA
Grant Aid

Grant Aid-related
Operations

Project-related studies, etc.
(Study for grant aid project)*Grant aid in which JICS is involved
Grant Assistance for the Food Aid Project(KR)

Procurement management agent services*

Grant Assistance for the Food Security
Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR)
Cultural Grant Aid

Procurement agent services*Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

Bilateral
GrantsThe Role of JICS in ODA

08

Technical
Cooperation

Bilateral Aid

Official
Development
Assistance (ODA)

Bilateral
Loans

Multilateral Aid

Loan Aid(ODA Loan)
Subscriptions andContributions toInternational Agencies
and Organizations

Compilation of technical specifications, procurement
and transportation of materials and equipment*(Through June 2012)

Technical
Cooperation-related
Operations

Non-Project Grant Aid
Emergency Grant Aid
Grant Aid for Conflict Prevention andPeacebuilding

Studies related to technical cooperation*(Through June 2012)

Grant Aid for Disaster Prevention andReconstruction

Dispatch of experts for technical cooperation
projects*

Grant Aid for Community Empowerment

Loan Aid-related
Operations

Document screening services, etc. (ODA
loan-related operations)*

Grant Assistance for Japanese
NGO Projects

International Agencies
and Organizationsrelated Operations

Studies, project implementation, etc.
(International agencies and organizationsrelated operations)** For details on what these
operations include, please referto page 29.

The Role of JICS in ODA
ODA refers to economic cooperation undertaken by the Japanese government for the purpose of assisting developing
countries in the development of their economies and societies,
and helping improve the welfare of the people of developing
countries and promote stable livelihoods.
ODA is divided into two broad categories—bilateral aid thatis conducted directly in cooperation with a particular developing country and multilateral aid that is carried out through aninternational organization. Bilateral aid can be further divided
into three modes—grant aid, technical cooperation andloan aid.
Since its launch in 1989, as a fair and neutral procurement
organization, JICS has provided a broad array of services related
to the procurement procedures for goods, equipment andservices necessary in the execution of many types of ODA projects. The information below provides an overview of the main
operations in which JICS is involved.

Grant Aid-related Operations
Grant aid is a form of assistance whereby funds required for the
procurement of goods, equipment and services are provided todeveloping countries without a repayment obligation.
In operations related to grant aid, JICS carries out procurement services, which include funds management, and project
management, as an agent of the governments of recipient
countries. We call these services procurement agent services.
JICS also conducts studies to examine the appropriatenessof applications by recipient-country governments, and to
consider the price and specifications of goods and equipment,
and performs procurement management agent services toassist procurement procedures carried out by recipient-country
governments, project application analysis, and report screening
services.

Program Grant Aid for Environment andClimate Change

Procurement Agent Services
The Japanese government examines and considers applications fromrecipient-country governments before making decisions to provide
funds. Funds are donated to recipient-country governments, but
because the funds must be used in accordance with Japan’s ODA rules,
third-party organizations well-acquainted with those rules carry out
procurement procedures and funds management. Through agreements with recipient-country governments, JICS conducts the procurement of goods and equipment and manages construction of facilities
on their behalf.
JICS sets terms for tenders after confirming specifications, quantities and conditions for delivery or construction work relating to thegoods and equipment or facilities, selects suppliers and construction
companies through a tendering process, monitors progress of contract
fulfillment by the contracted party, and manages project funds.

Goods and Equipment Procurement

Facility Construction[Features]
1.	JICS procures goods and equipment after confirming local import
clearance procedures, systems inplace for taking possession of andstoring the goods and equipment,
conditions at the installation site,
the recipient country’s systems formaintenance, and other factors.
2.	Some schemes involve tracking
the progress of distribution of the
procured goods and equipment
and counterpart funds1 depositedby the recipient country.

[Features]
1.	JICS and construction consultants determine facility
specifications and construction work terms after checking the proposed construction site, road conditions,and general conditions forconstruction in the locality.
2.	JICS selects construction
consultants and construction companies and carries
out on-site project management.

O Grant Assistance for the Food Aid
Project (KR)2
O Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged
Farmers (2KR)2O Non-Project Grant Aid
O Emergency Grant Aid
O Grant Aid for Conflict Prevention
and Peacebuilding

O Grant Aid for Community
Empowerment
O Grant Aid for Disaster Prevention and Reconstruction
O Program Grant Aid forEnvironment and Climate
Change* Notes:
1.	Under self-help efforts, developing country governments deposit local currency counterpart funds equivalent to a certain proportion of the selling priceand equipment procured by grant assistance. These funds are utilized for local
economic and social development projects after consultation with the Japanese
government.
2.	Grant Assistance for the Food Aid Project (KR) and Grant Assistance for the Food
Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR) initially consisted of procurement management agent services.
3.	Goods and Equipment procurement schemes may involve facility construction andFacility Construction schemes may involve goods and equipment procurement.

Schemes Mainly Involving Goods and Equipment Procurement
Grant Assistance for the Food Aid Project (KR)Rice stored in a warehouse (Sierra Leone)

Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR)

Non-Project Grant Aid

Emergency Grant Aid
Japan provides Emergency Grant Aid from a humanitarian perspective, giving urgently needed
funds to assist overseas victims of natural disasters and conflicts, as well as aid to restore the basic
living infrastructure of affected communities. Emergency Grant Aid through international agencies
and the Red Cross can also be used to support democratization in developing countries, including
the holding of elections, and to support post-conflict reconstruction process.
In FY2013, JICS provided procurement agent services for a total of 9 Emergency Grant Aid
projects, including ongoing projects from the previous year or earlier in Iraq and Afghanistan, anda new project in Jordan relating to Syrian refugees.
Wheel loader undergoing pre-shipment inspection(Jordan)Grant Aid for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Road repaired following an earthquake (Haiti)

The objectives of this scheme are to assist developing countries in conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts through such measures as programs for the reintegration of former soldiers,
recovery of small arms and ethnic reconciliation. The scheme provides funds for the procurementof goods and labor necessary for programs carried out in developing countries. This type of nonproject grant aid has been implemented since FY2002 as part of Non-Project Grant Aid.
In FY2013, JICS implemented procurement services for a total of 13 projects, including ongoingprojects from the previous year or earlier, in Sudan (now South Sudan), Afghanistan, Cambodia,
Haiti, Uganda and other countries. Equipment assisting the holding of elections was procured for
Nepal and bomb disposal equipment is being procured for Laos.

09
The Role of JICS in ODA

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment manufactured in
the area devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan
Earthquake (Mongolia)

Non-Project Grant Aid provides funds to developing countries that are implementing economic
and social development such as poverty reduction programs for the procurement and importation of necessary goods and equipment from overseas. The scheme is called Non-Project Grant Aid
since it is not tied to any specific project at the time it is approved. JICS carries out procurement of
raw materials (petroleum products, steel, etc.) and machinery for public works (vehicles and construction machinery) selected by the recipient-country governments from a list of specified items.
In recent years, industrial products and other products manufactured in areas affected by the Great
East Japan Earthquake have been procured to assist reconstruction efforts, and procurement ofequipment manufactured by Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), medical equipment
and next-generation eco-friendly vehicles is also carried out since procuring Japanese productswith advanced technologies creates additional opportunities for Japanese enterprises in overseas
markets.
JICS started these services in FY1993 and in FY2013 implemented procurement services for a
total of 82 projects, including ongoing projects from the previous year or earlier, for various countries in regions such as Oceania, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Annual Report 2013

Tractor used at a training center (Myanmar)

This is grant aid to developing countries which suffer food shortages, for the procurement of fertilizer and agricultural goods and equipment that will help increase the production of grain crops(rice, wheat, maize, etc.). Japan commenced this scheme in 1977, and it is carried out in Asia, Africa,
Central and South America, Eastern Europe, New Independent States (NIS) and others. The alternative name for this program is 2KR, which is derived from the name KR that is used to refer to Grant
assistance for the food aid project. A decision was made in June 2014 to discontinue this schemefrom FY2015.
JICS has been running this scheme since FY1989 and in FY2013 implemented procurement
services for 11 projects, including ongoing projects from the previous year, mainly in Africa.

Japan International Cooperation System

Since 1968, Japan has been providing grant aid to developing countries facing food shortages, for the procurement of rice, wheat, maize and other staple grains. Food aid is sometimes
referred to as “KR” owing to its historic link with the Kennedy Round (KR) of negotiations under
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The International Grains Agreement cameinto effect in 1967 as a result of the KR negotiations, and this aid program was launched inaccordance with the aforementioned agreement.
JICS has been running this scheme since FY2001 and in FY2013 implemented procurement
services for 27 projects, including ongoing projects from the previous year, mainly in Africa.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

Schemes Mainly Involving Facility Construction

Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

Grant Aid for Community Empowerment

Grant Aid for Disaster Prevention and Reconstruction

Primary school-cum-cyclone shelter constructed in
an area devastated by 2008 Cyclone Nargis (Myanmar)

The Role of JICS in ODA

10

Newly constructed Community Day Secondary
School (Malawi)

This scheme was established with the objective of assisting comprehensive capacity development in communities facing such threats to human life and secure livelihoods as poverty,
hunger and infectious disease. Grant Aid for Community Empowerment can reduce project
costs by incorporating local input into project specifications and design and positively utilizing local enterprises and locally sourced goods and equipment, and is expected to lead to theefficient use of grant aid funds. While this scheme can flexibly respond to diverse local needs
and conditions, it requires high-level procurement management because of the wide rangeof means needed to meet procurement schedules and secure quality.
In FY2013, JICS managed a total of 32 projects relating to construction work for schools,
health centers or other facilities, including ongoing projects from the previous year or earlier,in Africa and Asia.

For developing countries that are vulnerable to natural disasters, Japan provides grant aid comprising funds necessary for schools, cyclone shelters and other facility construction and restoration toassist disaster prevention measures and post-disaster reconstruction.
In post-disaster reconstruction, to facilitate rapid response even in turmoil-affected situations
and enable the provision of several types of assistance simultaneously, it is essential to utilize very
advanced coordination capabilities. Japan’s assistance draws on expertise across a diverse numberof fields and manages relief efforts through an integrated approach.
In recent years, projects involving the procurement of equipment for earthquake and tsunami
observation and prediction/warning systems in countries located along the Pacific Ring of Fire
(Vanuatu, Fiji, etc.), for disaster response and prevention, have been implemented, making use of
relatively advanced Japanese technologies.
In FY2013, JICS implemented procurement services for a total of 7 projects, including ongoingprojects from the previous year or earlier, mainly for countries along the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Program Grant Aid for Environment and Climate Change
From the perspective of strengthening developing countries’ response measures to climatechange, this grant aid scheme provides funds necessary for the formulation of climatechange-related policies and response plans, and for the procurement of materials and equipment and facility construction services needed for the execution of such plans. The scheme
has three main focus areas—measures to combat global warming, antipollution measuresand protection of the natural environment.
In FY2013, JICS managed 57 projects continuing from the previous year or earlier.
Groundwater desalination plant (white buildings atrear) and solar panels (Tunisia)

Services Other than Procurement Agent Services
Cultural Grant Aid

Children wearing donated judo outfits (Uruguay)

Japan provides grant aid for the purpose of promoting culture and education, as well as forthe preservation of cultural heritage in developing countries. This grant aid comprises funds
for the purchase, transportation, installation of materials and equipment, and construction offacilities necessary for the aforementioned cultural and educational activities. General Cultural
Grant Aid is carried out vis-à-vis governmental and public agencies while Grassroots Grant Aid
is provided to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and local public agencies.
In FY2013, JICS undertook analysis of Grassroots Cultural Grant Aid project applications
and continued from the previous year provision of General Cultural Grant Aid project assistance (procurement management services) for the procurement of equipment for geologicalresearch, camera and editing equipment, presentation and storage equipment, and otherequipment, for 12 countries in regions including Central and South America and Asia.

Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects
This grant assistance program conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs covers economic
and social development projects carried out by Japanese NGOs and public service corporations in developing counties and regions. In FY2013, within this grant assistance program, JICS
undertook examining of application documentation and post-project reports submitted byNGOs and other organizations.

Technical Cooperation-related Operations

Local procurement seminar under JICA’s technicalassistance (Bhutan)

Loan Aid-related Operations (ODA Loan)

Presentation by JICS at high level ASEAN Health
Development meeting

Multilateral aid enables Japan to contribute indirectly to the development of developing
countries through subscriptions and contributions to development aid institutions that arepart of the United Nations, and international development finance institutions, such as theWorld Bank.
Since FY2006, JICS has provided procurement services for multilateral aid-related programs
carried out by international agencies and organizations, including project works commissioned by the ASEAN Secretariat using part of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF)
established by the Japanese government to support ASEAN integration.
In FY2013, JICS implemented procurement services for a total of 8 projects continuing fromthe previous year or earlier.

JICS’ Initiatives for Developing New Business

Leaflet of JICS medical lecture for travellers

New business development, underway since April 2012, consists of (1) seeking new business
which utilizes JICS’ know-how to expand operations; and (2) development of new businessthrough Public–Private Partnership (PPP) and private-sector activities. In FY2013, JICS was
newly contracted to carry out the following services.
(1) Seeking new business which utilizes JICS’ know-how
MOFA: Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO projects screening services
ODA loan: Loan aid project development and execution-related facilitation for Sub-SaharanAfricaJICA study: Information gathering and situation analysis relating to assistance for Syria
Others include Emergency grant aid to Jordan relating to Syrian refugees and Non-Project
Grant Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced Products and Its System.
(2) Developing new business
MOFA and JICA promotion to build partnerships with SMEs: Preliminary studies for water purification projects in Viet Nam and Peru through cooperation with private enterprises
Geothermal development project: Dispatching of personnel for consultant-run procurement
services
JICS Medical Lecture for Travellers: A total of five lectures were held to provide information on
tropical infectious diseases and methods for their prevention to people preparing to travel tocountries where there is a risk of contracting infectious diseases.

11
The Role of JICS in ODA

International Agencies and Organizations-related Operations

Annual Report 2013

A presentation on loan execution methods at a
portfolio conference (Kenya)

Loan Aid (ODA Loan) involves the loan of development funds to developing countries under such concessionary conditions as long repayment periods and low interest rates. In theimplementation of loan aid to developing countries, the lending terms are determined after
consideration of a broad range of factors, including average income levels in the recipient
country. Unlike grant aid, loan aid requires repayment of aid funds. Hence, this mode of aid
aims at nurturing ownership of the development process within the developing country bypromoting the efficient use of loan funds and appropriate execution of projects.
JICS carries out primary checks of procurement-related documentation prepared by recipient countries to verify that the documentation conforms to JICA guidelines. In FY2013,
JICS conducted 424 primary checks for projects in Southwest Asia, Latin America, Africa, theMiddle East and Eastern Europe.
JICS also conducted studies aimed at facilitating the smooth implementation of Loan Aid
projects and carried out services to revise standard documentation for tenders and otherdocuments relating to procurement under projects receiving ODA Loans.

Japan International Cooperation System

Technical Cooperation is a framework for assisting the human resources development, research and development, adoption of technology and establishment of programs required
for economic and social development in developing countries. JICA plays a central role, forexample by dispatching experts, supplying necessary equipment and implementing humanresources training in Japan, in order to help build up issue resolution capability and improve
ownership in developing countries.
In FY2013, JICS dispatched short-term assistance staff to 9 countries to facilitate the smooth
implementation of procurement at JICA overseas offices by providing operational support for
procurement and gathering information on procurement environments.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

Non-Project Grant Aidfor Provision ofJapanese Medical
Equipment
Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

(Sri Lanka)

JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

12

Below we introduce the role played by JICS and the results achieved in Non-Project Grant
Aid for Provision of Japanese Medical Equipment. This program procured Japan’s excellent, advanced medical equipment and apparatus to support the improvement anddevelopment of Sri Lanka’s medical and welfare sector.
Hiroshi Sato
Director, Second Special ProjectManagement Division
Second Management Department

Rumiko Takagi
Second Special ProjectManagement Division
Second Management Department

P P roject Name: Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese
Medical Equipment*
P O bjective: Procurement of advanced Japanese medical equipment
and apparatus as well as related services (installation and training)
P C ounterpart of Agent Agreement: Ministry of Finance and Planning,
Sri Lanka
P End User: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
P Grant Amount: ¥550 million
P Exchange of Notes (Bilateral Agreements): March 18, 2013
P D elivery / Completion: December 26, 2013 (Lot 2); April 25, 2014
(Lot 1)*In FY2013, the name of this program was changed to Non-Project
Grant Aid for Introduction of Japanese Advanced Products and Its
System (Medical Equipment and Welfare Apparatus Package).

Q1.	Please tell us about the background to this project and JICS’ role in it.
Sri Lanka’s civil war, which continued for over 25 years, came to an end in May 2009. Following that, the government of Sri
Lanka implemented a set of policies focusing on the steady improvement of social services. As a result, there have been advances in basic health indicators. However, the capabilities of the country’s public healthcare facilities remained insufficient,and owing to the country’s provision of free healthcare based on social democratic principles, the public medical sector has
suffered from chronic budget shortages.
The Japanese government decided to implement Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese Medical Equipment,
which would grant funds for the procurement of Japan’s excellent, advanced medical equipment and apparatus to contribute to further improvements in Sri Lanka’s healthcare indicators.
From an early stage following the decision to go ahead with this program, the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka made arequest regarding its desire, through this scheme, to introduce advanced examination equipment and increase the numberof hemodialysis machines at six core hospitals in regions that have large numbersof kidney disease patients and suffer fromcritical shortages of such equipment. In
response, JICS carried out the implementation of studies at the hospitals where
the equipment was to be delivered, andundertook procurement of CT scanners
and hemodialysis machines along withinstallation and training services related tothis equipment.
CT scanner/workstation
Hemodialysis machine delivered to
Kandy Hospital

Q2.	Did you encounter any difficulties during the implementation of this project?

Prior to our involvement with this project, JICS did not have any experience in the procurement of advanced medical systems, such as CT scanners. Consequently, before commencing discussions with the the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka, we
had to investigate many aspects of the project. This included not only the equipment specifications but also such aspects as
X-ray shielding, protection and approval and license procedures in Sri Lanka.
Next, as a prerequisite for calculating the necessary costs, it
was necessary to decide on the location for installation of theequipment at the hospitals that were to receive it. This included
finding out the exact route for delivery of the equipment andthe scale of the preparatory construction work. For example, if itturned out that the equipment was to be installed on the second floor, it would be necessary to knock out walls and lift theequipment up using a crane. Such large-scale works would takeconsiderable time and expense. To ensure that the equipment
would be installed in locations where delivery would be assmooth as possible, JICS visited all six hospitals spread throughout Sri Lanka that had requested the equipment, and held
discussions with each hospital director on the details. Based onthese talks, the costs to be borne by the Japanese side and the
Sri Lankan side were each clearly defined, and we calculated the
A CT scanner installed at a hospital in Colombo
project costs.

JICS staff member visits Colombo South
Hospital

Q3.	Please tell us what achievements were made through this project.

Annual Report 201313

JICS coordinator inspects the planned
installation location of the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for the CT scanner system at Hambantota Hospital

Q4. What do you see as the significance of this project?
For the introduction of CT scanners, the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka took into account not only the capabilities of thesystems but also the post-installation running and maintenance costs over a long period. Based on this assessment, theministry selected the 16-slice CT scanner system rather than the latest model that could photograph cross-section images
comprising more than 100 slices. Since the hospitals had until now used models capable of photographing only one or two
slices, the project realized improvements in examination accuracy and reductions in the time necessary for examinations.
Costs for maintaining and managing the systems were also kept down.
For the Japanese CT scanner manufacturers, it is hoped that the experience gained in delivering systems for an ODA project will become a
stepping stone toward increased future opportunities.
In this project we pursued the twin objectives of contributing to theresolution of issues faced by Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector and supporting
Japanese companies that produce excellent medical equipment. Having
realized both these aims, we feel that the role achieved by this project
was large and that there is great future potential.

Training at Hambantota Hospital

JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

This project involved a large amount of work from the preparation stage. The extent of thiswas much greater than would be expected in other types of equipment grant projects.
After contracts were signed, at a kickoff meeting with the Ministry of Health, suppliers, local
coordinators, hospital directors and other related parties, we discussed details of the project and clarified the responsibilities of each party within the process. We believe that these
efforts contributed significantly to the smooth implementation of this project, and we areutilizing this experience in subsequent projects.
Simultaneously, the Sri Lankan side not only received the benefits of the grant aid itself
but those involved also gained awareness as direct participants in the project execution
process. In actual fact, those involved on the Sri Lankan side had to deal with a large number of tasks, including securing the budget for installation work related to X-ray shielding
and protection as well as air conditioning systems, and ordering of construction work, carrying out approval procedures and coordinating schedules. As a result of the large amountof effort undertaken by the Sri Lankan side together with JICS, we developed a sense ofunity with our Sri Lankan partners. The great level of cooperation and trust that we built up
can be called a major achievement of this project.

Japan International Cooperation System

In cases where a CT scanner arrived before delivery and installation preparations by the
Sri Lankan side were complete, or the finished equipment was unable to be loaded onto
ship for transportation to Sri Lanka and had to be stored in Japan, it would be necessary
to secure storage space equipped with specialized air conditioning systems for precisionequipment. Since such cases would incur costs, we paid particularly close attention toensuring that there would be no disruptions to the delivery schedules.
In addition, each of the receiving hospitals were using existing systems to conduct
examinations on several dozen patients per day. For this reason, if time was taken in removing the old equipment and delivering and installing the new systems, many patients would
have to wait during that period. Hence, it was necessary to minimize the impact of thischangeover, and draw up detailed plans that would result in the least disruption to diagnostic schedules.
With this in mind, we formulated meticulous plans and coordinated the manufactureand export of the systems in accordance with these plans. Even so, there were signs
that preparations on the Sri Lankan side were tending to run behind schedule. However,through the JICS local coordinator, we conducted close communications in an effort toremain abreast of the situation in real time, and sent rapid instructions to end users andsuppliers. As a result, we managed to keep any delays to a minimum.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Grant Aid for Conflict
Prevention andPeacebuilding: The
Project for Assistanceto the Constituent
Assembly Election
Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

(Nepal)JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

14

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

In the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, there is an urgent need to make the transition to stable democracy and peace through the drafting of a new constitution by theConstituent Assembly. The first step in this process was an election to choose the Constituent Assembly. We asked the JICS staff member who worked on assistance for thiselection to explain JICS’ involvement in this process.
Shinji Hosoya
First Construction Management DivisionFirst Management Department

P P roject Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Project for Assistance to the Constituent Assembly Election
P O bjective: Procurement of items to be used in the election, andproject management, including the management of grant funds
P C ounterpart of Agent Agreement: Election Commission of Nepal,
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
P Grant Amount: ¥149 million
P Exchange of Notes (Bilateral Agreements): July 24, 2013
P D elivery / Completion: October 2013

Q1.	Please explain how this project came about and JICS’ involvement.

Nepal has suffered from continuous political instability due to a civil war, but in 2006 a Comprehensive Peace Accord was
signed between the Government of Nepal and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). In 2008, the first election
for the Constituent Assembly was held. However, work in drafting a constitution by the first Constituent Assembly became
stalled and the assembly was dissolved without having drafted a new constitution. Subsequently, as a result of negotiations
among the major political parties, it was decided that the election for the second Constituent Assembly would be held on
November 19, 2013.
The Government of Nepal made a request to the Government of Japan for assistance in the procurement of election-related items necessary for use at polling stations. Based on this request, on July 24, 2013, the two governments agreed to implement the Project for Assistance to the Constituent Assembly Election under the Grant
Aid for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding program.
The experience JICS gained through involvement in the procurement of items usedin the 2008 Constituent Assembly election was appraised highly. Consequently, forthe 2013 elections the Nepalese government (Election Commission of Nepal) contracted JICS as its procurement agent and JICS undertook procurement of electionPink stickers used for the proportional represenrelated items and project management, including the management of grant funds.
tation vote ballot boxes

Q2.	Please tell us which aspects of this project you found the most difficult.
JICS signed a procurement agent agreement with the Election Commission of Nepal on September 9, 2013. To ensure thateverything would be ready in time for the Constituent Assembly election on November 19, 2013, we needed to deliver all of
the procured election-related items to the warehouse of the Election Commission in
the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu during October. Hence, the extremely tight schedule for executing this project was the main hurdle.
JICS swiftly carried out the procurement procedures, selecting suppliers and signing contracts with those companies for four election items. The items were: (1) ballot
box stickers to identify single-seat district vote ballot boxes and proportional representation vote ballot boxes; (2) voting partitions; (3) ballot box security seals; and(4) ballot boxes (only for the proportional representation vote—ballot boxes for the
single-seat district vote were procured in 2008).
Light blue partitions for the single-seat district
Since all of the items were to be imported from outside Nepal, we needed tovotingcarry out a range of processes withspeed and accuracy. These included confirmation of shipping schedules, support for customs clearance
procedures, and inspection of thegoods at the Election Commission
warehouse. Amid frequent manufacturing problems at contracted
suppliers, I visited production sites
in the United Kingdom and other
Light green ballot box security seals
sites overseas to conduct discussions and negotiations regarding
Ballot boxes

After the proportional representation voting was complete, theballot box slots were sealed up using security seals (Photographcredit: Embassy of Japan in Nepal)

Ballot box and partition for the single-seat districtvoting (Photograph credit: Embassy of Japanin Nepal)

15
JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

On the day of the election, there were no significant disruptions andvoting proceeded smoothly nationwide. This election marked the firststep in Nepal’s process to draft a democratic constitution. Reflecting the
expectations of the Nepalese people, the election turnout was 76%, a 10
percentage point increase on the turnout recorded in the first election
in 2008. Through this project, it is hoped that a new constitution can be
drafted and this will lead to the implementation of policies and projects
that improve the lives of Nepalese citizens. It is also hoped that peace will
become firmly embedded in Nepal and the country will progress steadilyalong the path of democracy.
Since there is not a constant demand for election-related items, there
are no manufacturers that specialize in only producing such goods.
However, through support projects for the elections in 2008 and 2013,
JICS has gained a wide range of information. By utilizing this informationand knowledge, we want to continue building a structure that can satisfy
the needs of other countries too by sourcing materials worldwide anddelivering these with a highdegree of reliability.

Annual Report 2013

Q3.	Please explain the significance of this project.

Japan International Cooperation Systemmeasures to ensure delivery according to schedule. Meanwhile, since theelection materials had to be shipped
to all parts of the country and the
Nepalese authorities were arranging helicopter shipment of items topolling stations where road shipment
was not possible, execution of the
project was carried out while closely
coordinating delivery schedules forgoods with the institutions involved
on a daily basis. As a result, ultimately
we were able to meet the prescribed
Proportional representation voting. The ballot boxes were marked with pink stickers, and the ballot boxes wereschedule, and fulfill the Election Comsealed with security seals in four places (Photograph credit: Gorkhapatra Online, November 20, 2013)
mission’s requests.
Since election-related items are not
the type of goods that are handled on a day-to-day basis, I believe that production and delivery on such a short time frame
meant a significant amount of pressure for the manufacturers. When setting the specifications for the election-related items,
since the products were to be used in conjunction with items used during the first Constituent Assembly election in 2008,
it was necessary to select goods that were the same as those used previously so as not to cause confusion among election
officials at polling stations. Hence, even detailed specifications—such as colors, color depth, and textures—had to be thesame as the first election. Another key specification was the size of the slot on the ballot boxes. The Nepalese government
prepared the ballot papers, which had to be printed on large sheets of paper in order to list more than 100 political parties
and show the logo of each party. The closed-question ballot paper needed to be designed so that even voters who were
not literate would be able to vote. When this ballot paper was folded to be put into the ballot box, its thickness meant thatthe ballot box slot had to be large. Since JICS possessed data from its experience in procurement of similar materials in thepast, we were able to select in a short time manufacturers that could produce the items required by the Election Commission of Nepal.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

Primary school construction in the Republic of Cameroon, which began in 1997, wasimplemented under the Grant Aid for Community Empowerment scheme from the fifth
project. As the procurement agent of the Government of Cameroon, JICS managed theexecution of the overall project. Here, the JICS project manager discusses the knowledge
gained through the project and issues that remain for the future.

Grant Aidfor Community
Empowerment: The 5th
Project for Construction Kiyotaka Takei
of Primary Schools Third Construction Management Division
Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

(Cameroon)

JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

16

First Management Department

P P roject Name: The 5th Project for Construction of Primary Schools
P O bjective: Construction of 31 primary schools comprising 202
classrooms, 31 administrative blocks and 24 toilet blocks at 17 sites
in the Northwestern Region and the procurement of school
furniture
P C ounterpart of Agent Agreement: Ministry of Basic Education,
Republic of Cameroon
P Grant Amount: ¥966 million
P Exchange of Notes (Bilateral Agreements): July 19, 2011
P D elivery / Completion: From October 2013 to May 2014, handoverat each site when completed

Q1.	Please provide an overview of the 5th Project for Construction of Primary Schools.

Japan’s projects for primary school construction in the Republic of Cameroon began in 1997. From the first to fourth projects, in nine out of Cameroon’s 10 regions the program built a total of 1,331 classrooms at 101 sites
in 22 cities and towns.
Until the 4th project, schools were built as part of Grant Aid for General
Projects, and construction was carried out by Japanese construction companies. However, the 5th Project for Construction of Primary Schools wasbrought under the Grant Aid for Community Empowerment program.
As the procurement agent of the Government of Cameroon, JICS signed
contracts with local construction companies and furniture companies.
Some of the previous classrooms, built from brick
Under this structure, JICS carried out procurement for construction of 31
primary schools comprising 202 classrooms, 31 administrative blocks and
24 toilet blocks as well as school furniture at 17 sites in the Northwestern
Region, which was the last province to be covered by the program.
The Northwestern Region has a particularly low level of school enrollment, even compared with the rest of Cameroon. Many of the existing
primary school buildings were built from adobe (sun-dried earth) bricks,
and had deteriorated to the point of being run down. Furthermore, manyof the classrooms were completely dark inside even during the daytime.
Under this project, the buildings were constructed from robust reinforced
concrete structures with white mortar-covered walls and large windows
made of stacked hollow blocks. Although the area does not have electric- The old classrooms were dimly lit even in the daytime
ity supply, the design provides an ample amount of brightness inside the classrooms using only natural light sources. Since
the area lacks sewerage systems, the lavatories use a permeation system rather than flush toilets.

Q2.	What specific measures did you take to ensure that the project progressed smoothly?
Excluding the consultant, all of the work was carried out with local companies. Hence, things like Japanese business practices and unspoken communication did not have currency at all. All necessary matters were included within the written
contracts, and we took particular care to clarify matters pertaining to money and the assignment of responsibilities.
The project included more than 30 contracted companies,
and our tasks were both complex and numerous, including
management of progress in accordance with each contract
and monthly payments based on the work completed. However, around half of the companies had experience working as
subcontractors for Japanese construction firms during the first
to fourth school construction projects. Hence these companies
had an understanding of the standard of work required by
Japan, enabling the project to make smooth progress. For thecompanies participating for the first time, the Japanese consultant made frequent visits to the construction sites and provided
careful guidance. Thanks to such efforts, the construction work
The shining, white exterior of the new classrooms

Q4.	What issues remain outstanding and what is your outlook for the future?
One of the factors behind the smooth completion of the 5th Project for Construction of Primary Schools was the presenceof local companies that were involved in construction work from the first project onward, which were implemented as Grant
Aid for General Projects. This can be seen as proof that Japanese technology and know-how are being steadily accumulated
by companies in Cameroon.
Through the completion of the 5th Project for Construction of Primary Schools, the initial goal set by the Japanese government of building primary schools in all 10 of Cameroon’s regions has been attained. However, recent years have seen alarge influx of people into urban areas from provincial areas, and this has led to shortages of classrooms in the cities’ outersuburbs. A request has been made by the Government of Cameroon for new projects to be undertaken in these areas
where population is increasing. Whether this request is taken up is a matter for the Government of Japan to decide, but if it
is possible to accept the request and Japanese technology and know-how takes root further, I believe that Japanese assistance is likely to become even more effective.

17
JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

The project sites were a two-hour drive from the regional capitalof Bamenda, which is itself 350 km, or seven hours by car, northwest of the Cameroon capital of Yaoundé. The sites located in
mountainous areas did not have any restaurants nearby, andduring the construction work it appeared that some of the local
workers became stressed. This manifested in various frequent
labor problems, such as workers running away from sites andstrikes for pay increases. On each such occasion, I met with thepresident of the construction company concerned, and together we discussed how to solve the problems.
Through these efforts, Japan succeeded in building primaryschools in areas that even many Cameroonians found harsh.
Despite that, we built beautiful, white, reinforced concrete
A children’s choir performs to welcome guests at a handover ceremonybuildings, which are very robust. It made the local villagers
very happy.
The handover ceremonies for the completed primary schools were magnificent affairs, with much singing and dancing,
and we received words of gratitude from many of the local people. In one such setting, suddenly the local king (chieftain)
conferred on me the title of “Fon,” which is the local noble appellation. On the same day, at handover ceremonies in twoother villages, I also received the title of Fon from two other kings. Conferment of this noble title is the highest expression ofgratitude in the region. Being given the title of Fon was the most unexpected occurrence during the entire project, and at
the same time it was a very happy experience. The deep sense of gratitude felt by the villagers toward the Japanese government and Japanese citizens came through very strongly.

Annual Report 2013

Q3.	Were there any unforeseen events during the project?

Japan International Cooperation System

was completed on schedule.
Looking back, I believe that both teamwork and leadership are crucial in guiding a project to a successful conclusion.
Teamwork includes not only JICS’ internal teamwork but also
encompasses everyone involved in the project, from the 30
companies involved in construction work and furniture procurement to the consultant, lawyers, JICA, the partner country
government, MOFA and the Japanese embassy. It is importantfor everyone to be focused on the common goal of creating
high-quality buildings and furniture in the allocated time frame,and heading directly for that goal. Put another way, althougheach of the team members does separate things during their ordinary routines, when working on the project everyone’s focus
The new classrooms have a brightly lit interior thanks to the use of hollow
block windows
has to be on the common goal and all members need to adopt
a shared set of values. Leadership takes place through each
person in each organization taking action based on thinking about what they need to do to achieve the shared goal if they
were leaders themselves. As project manager, I worked to maintain motivation by explaining to the presidents of each of theconstruction and furniture companies that if the construction work progressed quickly, they would save on labor costs andthose savings would translate into increased profit for the company. As a result, we were able to complete the project onschedule without a hitch, based on a win–win relationship.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

For the people of Cameroon, Japanese
assistance is very strongly associated withprimary schools. Many parents hope to send
their children to clean, well-built schools. The
KIREI-NA GAKKO* contest run each year by
the Ministry of Basic Education has contributed to this consciousness. All the schools built
since the first project have been maintained
properly, and have remained attractive andclean. Consequently, I believe that primaryschool construction in Cameroon has beena very beneficial project.

Support for Project
Formulation andPromotion of
Disbursement underJapanese ODA Loansin Sub-Sahara Africa

18(Sub-Sahara Africa)

JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

The local king (front row, fifth from the left) strolls during ahandover ceremony, along with the attendants and JICS project
manager Kiyotaka Takei (on the right of the king)*KIREI-NA GAKKO (clean schools): Since 2011, for the schools
built using grant assistance funds from Japan, judging is carried out with regard to maintenance, management and hygiene,
and schools judged to meet a standard of excellence receive an award.

Fon Asaahna II (left), King of
Banjong Village, and project
manager Takei, who received
the noble title of Fon

JICS dispatched its employees as experts to six countries in the Sub-Sahara Africa region
to facilitate loan aid project development as well as smooth progress and execution insuch projects. We asked two of the staff involved in these services in recipient countries toprovide an overview of this project and discuss the future potential for similar services.
Toshiyuki Nakazawa
Grant and Loan Cooperation Support
Division
Third Management Department

Shunichi Kudo
Third Management Department

P P roject Name: FY2013 Sub-Sahara Africa Region ODA Loan Project
Development Support and Loan Execution Facilitation Services(Sub-Sahara Africa)
P O bjective: With the objective of supporting the facilitation of loan
aid project execution in six countries in the Sub-Sahara Africa
region (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Cameroon and Zambia),
in-country provision of loan execution support, repayment support,
procurement procedure support, investment and loan forecast
preparation support, and new project development support
P C ounterpart of Contract: Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA)

Q1.	Please provide an overview of this project.
At The Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) held in 2008, the Japanese government announced
its pledge of up to ¥400 billion in ODA loans over a period of five
years. In 2012, in the Sub-Sahara Africa region a total of 26 loans were
executed with 11 countries.
However, these countries only had a limited track record in termsof the number of loans previously received, while the counterpart
governments and executing agencies lacked proficiency in loan
procedures. In addition, internal government approval procedures arecomplex, and this contributed to the loan balance as of the end of
FY2012 totaling ¥225.3 billion. Appropriate project progress and loan
A presentation in Uganda on loan execution methods
execution facilitation were issues that needed to be addressed.
Furthermore, at The Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) in 2013, the Japanese government newly pledged up to ¥650 billion in ODA loans over five years. Consequently, JICA decided to dispatch experts to
six countries in the Sub-Sahara Africa region (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Cameroon and Zambia) to facilitate loan aid
project development, smooth progress in projects and loan execution. Through a proposal-based competitive tender, JICS
won the contract for this project.

Q2.	What were the difficult aspects of this project?
For this project, it was not JICS’ mission to carry out procurement operations on behalf of the aid recipient-country government and executing institution as the procurement agent. Rather, it was our mission to support the recipient-country
governments and executing institutions in project development, procurement implementation, loan execution, investment
and loan forecasting, and improvement of bottlenecks in the implementation of loan repayment.

Q4.	What was the significance of this project?
African recipient-country governments and executing institutions are familiar with various procedures required by suchbodies as the World Bank and the African Development Bank. However, the lack of familiarity with procedures for Japanese
ODA loans stood out in some cases. To expand the number of projects as pledged by Japan at TICAD V and achieve steady
implementation of these projects will require ongoing capacity building in the area of administrative procedures at thefrontline level, as was carried out during this assistance project. In this case, capacity building refers to the development ofskills in developing countries necessary for the implementation ofvarious types of projects.
Loan aid projects require complex procedures to be carried out
over an extended period. For this reason, to facilitate the execution of efficient loan aid projects, the recipient-country executing
institutions and JICA need know-how to be accumulated andpassed on. If JICS can maintain involvement in the facilitation ofloan aid project execution from a long-term, broad perspective,
I believe that we could become a valuable partner in loan aid
program execution in a similar way to our involvement in conducting primary checks on procurement documentation.
A study session on project delays with Tanzania National Roads Agency
engineers

19
JICS’ Major Activities in FY2013

Compared with the grant aid projects that JICS has mainly been involved with to date, loan aid projects are different interms of both scale and institutional structures. However, the know-how and capabilities developed by JICS through its
operations to date were useful in this project. Such experience and know-how includes such operations as selection andcontracting of consultants and contractors through in-country tenders, procurement of equipment and materials, management of project execution, and post-project supervision. We have also developed relevant experience through primary
checks on loan aid procurement procedures, post-procurement audits, and services related to Grant Aid for Community Empowerment and Grant Aid for Disaster Prevention and Reconstruction. In addition, JICS has been involved in a large numberof projects in Africa, and we have previous project experience in all of the countries participating in this scheme. I believe wewere able to leverage our abundant knowledge related to the Africa region during the project.

Annual Report 2013

Q3.	Were you able to utilize the experience and knowledge accumulated by JICS to date?

Japan International Cooperation System

For example, the loans are notdisbursed in a lump-sum payment,
but instead they are executed in accordance with each request to JICA
from the borrower (recipient-country
government) based on requests fromthe contractor/consultant. However,
due to such factors as inadequacies indocumentation, there were cases where
procedures took some time and a long
A meeting at an executing institution in Senegal
A presentation on loan execution methods at a
portfolio conference in Kenya
period elapsed between the requestfrom the contractor/consultant and actual payment. In repayments accompanying loans, there were also such instances
as repayment delays due to lateness in procedures, insufficient repayment amount due to exchange rate fluctuations, andrepayment delays due to the time difference between the recipient country and Japan. Falling into repayment arrears may
have such impacts as preventing the execution of new loans. Hence it is necessary to make improvements by understanding the process, ascertaining where the problem lies, and submitting an appropriate solution proposal. However, it was notnecessarily an easy task to achieve definite results during the three-week time frame allocated for each country visit. There
were cases where we only understood the specific issues involved after arriving in the country. Such issues included slowness in procedures at the institutions concerned within the recipient country.
Through such work, we designed operational flows based on interviews with recipient-country officials, and produced
visualizations of such aspects as the content of each type of operation and the time necessary to carry out operations. By
sharing these—including problematic points—with the personnel involved in performing procedures, we gained further
insights. We believe that this process achieved a certain level of impact.
In addition, for new projects, although our brief was to develop projects in which Japanese companies could participate,
generally the infrastructure projects needed by recipient countries in Africa do not require Japan’s advanced technology.
Such factors meant that matching Japanese companies with potential projects was difficult. However, in the case of East
Africa, since there are a large number of past achievements in Grant Aid for General Projects, a foundation already exists
for market entry by Japanese construction companies. Hence it seems likely that participation in loan aid projects for suchcompanies will be relatively straightforward.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

Stakeholder Comment
How do JICS’ stakeholders—from their various perspectives—view the services provided by JICS and Japan’s
ODA programs?
JICS’ stakeholders include such parties as the governments and citizens of Japan and its recipient countries,
and the companies and NGOs involved in each procurement project. For this report, we considered the
responses regarding the provision of farming equipment in the Republic of Moldova, a country in East Europe;and food shortages being faced by the Republic of Liberia, a country in West Africa.

Republic of Moldova: Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR)
Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

A project to support underprivileged farmers throughout Moldova

Stakeholder Comment

20

Republic of Moldova

Vasile Bumacov

Moldova

Agriculture is an Asset that Shoulders the Future
for a Region

Agriculture is a valuable sector of the economy of the Republicof Moldova, and is extremely central to rural life. Not only is it
our primary source of food but also a broad set of common
public goods, our culture, traditions, values, and natural resources, as well as a future for our region and our heritage.
A successful business in agriculture cannot be developed
without technology and modernization, improved access tofinances, know-how and resources. In 2000, the Government ofJapan launched a project initiative that greatly contributed to
an increase in the level of technology used in our agricultural
sector.
Over the more than a decade since then, the Republic ofMoldova has benefited from the Grant Assistance for the Food
Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR) used forthe procurement of equipment for agricultural producers withdisadvantageous conditions.
The trust and confidence built between the governments ofJapan and the Republic of Moldova through transparent andefficient implementation of the project resulted in a series ofgrants offered by the Government of Japan totaling more than
US$20 million.

Gaining New Agricultural Technologies throughContinuous Expansion of the ProjectWithin the implementation period, the 2KR Project has become
one of the most important distributors of agricultural equipment in the country, concluding more than 3,000 contracts
with farmers.
JICS and the Project Implementation Unit, which is responsible for the project implementation process, have achieved
the establishment of a reliable and efficient operation, building

Minister ofAgriculture andFood Industry

trust between the beneficiaries, governments and producers’
associations.
It is important to note that during this time, the number ofbeneficiaries has extended considerably and the project is now
known throughout every village in Moldova.
Continuous diversification of the project activities and theimplementation of innovative approaches utilizing the counterpart fund of the grant assistance and the revolving fundaccumulated out of the counterpart fund ensure additional
possibilities for farmers in the application of modern agricultural technologies.

Achievement of Sustainable Growth in the
Agricultural Sector

The value-added outcomes of the assistance are the most significant for our country—the creation of new jobs in rural areas,
the transfer of expertise, the development of business andsustainable growth in agriculture. Successful implementation
and reliable conditions of the assistance projects are stimulating agricultural producers to invest even more in agriculture, toexpand their business and to launch new initiatives.
Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for all the assistance the Government of Japan has provided to the Republicof Moldova. Due to the deep structural transformation of the
Moldovan economy, agriculture faces many challenges in its
development path and during this process Japan’s assistancehas been invaluable.
To conclude, I would like to assure that we are firmly committed to our cooperation with Japan and implementation ofprojects to support the economic development of our country.
It is my sincere hope that we can encourage new cooperation
initiatives and develop an ambitious work program ahead of us.

Republic of Liberia: Grant Assistance for the Food Aid Project (KR)Use of counterpart funds to implement rice cultivation project contributes to food supply stabilization
Republic of Liberia

Honorable Axel M. Addy
Minister of Commerceand Industry
Japan International Cooperation System

Liberia

Sustainable Procurement of Rice to Distributeto Consumers

I am to mention that the implementation of the Paddy and
Seed Rice Project by the Ministry of Agriculture, funded by thecounterpart fund from the KR Project, continues to encourage
local farmers to produce more. In addition, the effectivenessof KR can also be evaluated in terms of increase in the level of
employment through the sale/distribution of KR Food Aid in
Liberia.

21

On May 29, 2013, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Addy, visited JICS
during his visit in Japan to participate in The Fifth Tokyo International Conference on
African Development (TICAD V).

Japan’s ODA has impacted the value chain from the beginning to the end, for which the rice production in Liberia is successfully growing. Indeed, thanks to Japan’s NERICA and Paddy
and Seed Rice Projects, the children of Liberia can now enjoy
100% Liberian rice in their school feeding program.
The professional partnership we have with JICS has led toover US$34 million in project funding. The success of this project is much attributed to the professionalism in JICS’ management of our bilateral relationship.

Stakeholder Comment

Rice Production in Liberia Expands Steadily

Annual Report 2013

In 2008, there was an intermittent upsurge in the prices of cash
crops before the global financial meltdown. This was especially
noticeable with rice—Liberia’s major food staple. Mindful ofthe political and economic importance of rice and the needto ensure food security for Liberia, several Exchange of Notes(E/N) were signed between the governments of Japan and theRepublic of Liberia for Grant Assistance for the Food Aid Project(rice) and Non-Project Grant Aid (petroleum products).
I am therefore quite delighted and grateful for the wonderfulpartnership we have had with the government and citizens ofJapan since 2008. The KR Project is an Innovative Development
Assistance Program (IDAP) that is positively impacting the livesof the poor in Liberia.
Under the KR Project, approximately 60,000 tons of rice
has been procured—fiscal year 2008 totaled 8,612 tons, 2010
19,101 tons, 2011 10,015 tons, 2012 12,270 tons and 2013
8,060 tons (undergoing). The procured rice was distributed toconsumers through distribution and retail chains. The current
Liberian rice market is a highly competitive one, for which theKR rice helps to stabilize.

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

The Environment for JICS and ODA
Diversifying ODA and the Challenges facing JICS

Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

Development cooperation with developing countries is a type of “investment in the future” toward the stability anddevelopment of the entire world and of Japan itself. As the 60th anniversary of Japanese ODA and the 25th anniversary of JICS, 2014 marks a new beginning in our “investment in the future.”

The Environment for JICS and ODA

222014 is a Milestone for Japanese ODA and JICS

The year 2014 is a milestone for both Japanese ODA and JICS.
Sixty years have now passed since 1954 when Japan joined
the Colombo Plan, an international organ which assists developing countries, and began providing ODA. Twenty-five years
have also passed since 1989 when Japan became the world’s
top donor country and JICS was founded as Japan’s first specialist procurement organization. In addition, this year saw the
first revision to the ODA Charter—which is the foundation ofJapan’s ODA Policy—since it was last revised in 2003 and the
new charter will be decided by the Cabinet within FY2014.
At JICS, FY2014 is the final year of our “2012–14 Mediumterm Operational Action Plan.” We have implemented various
policies including development of new business projects andbuilding up a highly competitive organization, and will continue focusing on efforts toward expanding business. We arepresently preparing the “2015–2017 Medium-term Management Plan,” and we are examining actions demonstrating the“offensive” stance required for efforts toward business expansion in this next plan.

ODA is “Investment in the Future”

Japan’s ODA protects the livelihood of the Japanese people,
who are highly dependent on foreign food and energy, builds
better international relations, and has boosted Japan’s presencein the international community. One proof was the assistanceJapan received from 163 countries and regions worldwide following the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
The roles of ODA have recently been diversifying further.
First, with the great changes in the political and security environment surrounding Japan, there are now calls for morestrategic development of ODA toward the formation of aninternational order based on democracy, human rights and therule of law.
Next, there are also outstanding changes taking place inthe global economic environment. With the globalization of
the economy, many developing countries that were formerly
dependent on ODA have come to attract attention as newinvestment destinations and markets, and with the flows ofprivate-sector funds from the industrialized nations surpassing ODA. For that reason, there are growing expectations thatfor the developing countries ODA serves as a catalyst drawing
private investment, and also as a motive power for upgrading
infrastructure, training human resources, and BOP (Base of the
Pyramid) business efforts.
Meanwhile, for countries that cannot be expected to draw
private capital flows, ODA assistance is necessary based on
the principle of “Human Security” to build up countries andsocieties where people can live with respect free from regional
conflicts, terrorism, infectious diseases and poverty.

Aid to developing countries is in the interests of the international community, including the developed countries. Aiming
for sustainable global economic growth is essential to securestable development and prosperity for the entire world. ODA
is an “investment in the future” toward the future autonomous
development of developing countries, and so that the development will become seeds for the growth of the entire world
and of Japan itself.

JICS Support for NGOs

Along with longstanding central government initiatives, thebodies making “investment in the future” have recently expanded to include NGOs, private businesses, local governments anduniversities. JICS has been independently developing NGO
support activities since 1999. With our transition to a not-forprofit general incorporated foundation, these activities areclassified as activities implemented under planned expenditure
for the public fund and we are continuing this support in what
is now its 15th year. JICS support for NGOs is flexible enough tocover not only “direct business expenses” to support the project
activities of each organization but also “Funds for strengthening the foundations of the NGOs” to help NGOs secure offices,
pay staff, and acquire PCs and other equipment, and it is gladlyreceived by a large number of NGOs.
While advancing cooperative relations with such new development assistance partners, JICS is contributing to the peaceand stability of the international community as a player in theinternational cooperation field through ODA projects which arechanging and becoming increasingly diverse.

P JICS Support to a Cumulative 161 NGOs from FY1999
through FY2013 by Field
Others6%
Networks
10%

Peacebuilding
2%
Refugee assistance
6%
Environment support
4%
Independence
assistance15%

Medicine & health14%
Regional
development
10%
Povertymeasures7%

Education andpublic information
26%

JICS Recent Events
FY2013 Meetings of the Board of Directors andthe Board of Trustees

Participation in International Cooperation
EventsJICS dispatches lecturers to deepen understanding about
international cooperation, ODA and JICS’ operations among thegeneral public.
In FY2013, a JICS lecturer was dispatched to present a lecture
to the Kitakyushu Global Pioneers at the University of Kitakyushu. The lecture “ODA is Actually Right Here” explained how
ODA benefits not only recipient countries but also supports
Japan. The speaker presented the contents of JICS’ operations,and introduced study tours and internships at JICA and international cooperation NGOs in Kitakyushu as activities where
university students can participate.
In discussions after
the lecture, students
said they had learned
for the first time how
ODA is for the benefit ofJapan as well, showingthat the presentation
had contributed to abetter understanding of JICS employee speaking at Kitakyushu University
international cooperation
among the students.

Social Activities: Volunteers Donate Stationery
Goods for Syrian Refugee Children
JICS was involved as the procurement agent with Japanese
government assistance (emergency grant aid to Jordan) for
approximately 530,000 Syrians refugees (as of Sept. 2013) fromthe ongoing civil war in Syria. Two JICS employees who visited
Jordan as part of these operations in October 2013 noticed
how many of the Syrian refugee children could not attend
school and suffered from a shortage of daily necessities.
After returning to Japan these two employees began asking for stationery goods inside JICS as small presents to thechildren, and collected a large number of notebooks, pencils,
crayons and other items. When the two employees returned
to Jordan in Novemberof the same year, theygave these items to
the children through a
local charitable activities
group.
We later received aphotograph of the cutechildren holding a thank- Children holding the hand-written message
you message written in “THANK YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS”
Japanese and English.

23
JICS Recent Events

Initiatives to Promote Understanding ofInternational Cooperation

Annual Report 2013

JICS participates in diverse types of international cooperation
events, viewing them as
valuable opportunities
to speak directly withstakeholders and participate. In FY2013, JICS hadan exhibition booth at
TICAD V (5th Tokyo International Conference on
African Development),
JICS procurement activities at Global
Global Festa Japan 2013, Explaining
Festa Japan 2013
and the One World
Festival.

To express our gratitude to the people across the world who
gave support to the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster areas,
JICS has begun buying goods from a local NGO and presenting
them as gifts when we travel abroad.
JICS is purchasing business card cases and bookmarks
crafted using kimono cloth by members of the “Always Playing Around” healthy mothers club of Ishinomaki City, Miyagi
Prefecture, which suffered severe damages in the Great East
Japan Earthquake. We have prepared and attached a sticker
to the outside of the cases which reads, in English, French andSpanish: “These businesscard cases and bookmarks were producedby the people living indevastated area of Japan
hit by big earthquake
and tsunami occurred in
2011. To appreciate all
supports from the world
Minister of Environment Ms. Maria
toward them, JICS deliv- Paraguay:
Morales (center) standing next to a ministry adviers these card cases and sor (left) expresses her thanks for the card case,and wishes for the “earliest possible recovery ofbookmarks with their
the disaster areas.”
warmth.”When we give theseas presents on overseas
business trips, we explain
about this initiative andthe group producing thecases, and receive condolences and encouragement from the recipientsto the disaster areas. We Niger: Minister of Secondary and Higher
convey these messages Education Ms. Bety Aïchatou H. Oumani (right)
expresses “condolences to the disaster victims
to the healthy mothers
and the earliest possible recovery.”club.

Japan International Cooperation System

In FY2013 the Board of Directors convened six times and theBoard of Trustees convened once. The Board of Directors received appropriate reports on such matters as the foundation’s
management situation, the progress of the Medium-term Operational Action Plan and efforts toward new business projects,
and worked for the sound operation of the foundation.
At the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees held in June
2013, the Trustees shared positive expectations toward theinclusion of both veteran and young employees in efforts toward developing new business projects centered on the New
Business Development Office and Task Forces to Develop New
Businesses.

Social Activities: Delivering Handmade Goods
from the Mothers of Ishinomaki City, which
Suffered in the Great Earthquake

Part 1 Principal Activities in FY2013

Part 2 Description of Projects

Reference Materials

JICS’ NGO Support Activities

Japan International Cooperation System Annual Report 2013

E Outline of NGO Support Activities and Determination of Groups Receiving Support in FY2013

JICS Recent Events

24

JICS has been providing financial support to small and medium
sized Japanese NGOs that conduct aid activities for developing
countries since 1999, to contribute to the further developmentof international cooperation activities by civil society groups.
With JICS’ transition to a general incorporated foundation in
FY2012, these activities are classified as planned expenditure
for the Public Fund.
When this program first began, the financial support was
mostly provided for purchasing equipment and materials foroverseas development projects and for their transportation
expenses. The support has subsequently changed to meet thediversified needs of NGO activities, from the perspective ofreinforcing and improving NGOs’ capabilities, with the introduction of support for “Network NGO” activities to promoteand develop NGO activities, and “Funds for Strengthening theFoundations of the NGOs” including NGO headquarters personnel expenses and the costs of preparing public relations tools
which lead to strengthening NGOs’ foundations.
To date, JICS’ NGO Support has been provided to about 10
groups each year, with a maximum award of ¥1 million. In
FY2013, 38 NGOs applied and 11 of these groups were selected
to receive support after deliberation by the Selection Committee. Half of the applications were for Funds for Strengthening
the Foundations of the NGOs, which is a distinctive characteristic of this program. (The NGO names and assistance contents
are presented on p.45 of Part 2.) Through the end of March
2014, a cumulative 161 NGOs have received total assistance of¥138 million.

E FY2013 JICS’ NGO Support Activities: Report on
Activities and Exchange of Views

In addition to providing financial assistance for activities, theNGO Support program holds a meeting each year for the NGOs
supported to report on their activities, and to exchange opinions and interact with other NGOs and outside experts.
The FY2013 activities reports and information exchange
meeting was held October 31, 2013, with 10 of the groups
receiving assistance in FY2011 participating. The groups areengaged in a wide range of activities, including the provisionof ophthalmology, refugee assistance including psychologicalcare, promotion of ties and cooperation among NGOs inside
Japan, and assistance to foreign residents in Japan. The themeof the session for exchanging opinions was“Changes in concern
regarding international
cooperation (activities)
among youth in recent
years, and approaches toelicit interest in international cooperation.”
NGO activities reports

K Main Activities Reports
Specified Nonprofit Corporation Mint Society for Iranians with
Physical Handicaps
To improve autonomy at home for Iranians with disabilities
from spinal cord or cervical spinal cord injuries, this NGO used
JICS assistance to distribute 50 “universal cuff” welfare assistance devices which improve hand functions and 50 pairs ofwheelchair gloves, and held practice sessions and made home

visits to provide consultation regarding home care in Iran. They
also brought other Japanese welfare assistance devices andinstalled a welfare devices exhibition room inside a local facility for persons with disabilities. The group expects this will leadto local production of a variety of
welfare devices, but since securing
funds is a problem, they are considering establishing a local affiliate in Iran and collecting funds. In
Iran, people think “good things will
happen when you donate money.”
Writing using one of the universal
They also think that collection
cuffs distributed
boxes are commonly installed as
mail boxes in Japan.

Specified Nonprofit Corporation ACCESS (Aspiring Citizens forCommunity Empowerment with Sunny Smile)This NGO is engaged in addressing the issue of poverty in thePhilippines and Japan. They implement “ACCESS Philippines”
which provides education and income support in urban slums
and agricultural villages, along with “ACCESS Japan” whichworks to expand supporters in Japan. This group used JICS
Funds for Strengthening the Foundations of the NGOs for the
personnel expenses for a dedicated staff person to carry out
new activities to increase members and supports. This employee is responsible for holding lectures and tea parties in Kyoto
and the Kansai region mostly toward organizing women in
the 40s through 60s, updating the scholarship leaflet, making
appeals using Facebook and other channels featuring scholarship results, and approachingcompanies and other donors. The
employee also worked at publicity
using newspapers, radio and othermass media. The group reported
that using various approaches
revealed which are most effective, and helped them to set their Updating the scholarship leaflet
future direction.

Specified Nonprofit Corporation Kansai NGO Council
The Kansai NGO Council implements activities toward forming
and strengthening international cooperation NGO networks.
They drafted a medium-term plan for FY2012–2014, clarified
their priority projects while receiving guidance from an expert
advisor, and set assessment indices. The NGO positioned their
Network Meeting Project as a priority, invited speakers fromuniversities, companies and NGOs, and held a meeting to exchange opinions regarding “Branding to create an organization
people want to support” and “Each group’s policies and structure in case of a large-scale disaster in the Kansai region.” JICS
Funds for Strengthening the Foundations of the NGOs wereused to cover some of the personnel costs of the dedicatedstaff person and advisors engaged in these activities. Issues
the group wants to address in the future include becoming
recognized not just in the Kansai
region but nationwide, promoting ties with NPOs and NGOs andwith other sectors (university,
business and regional government organs), and advancing
matching proposals.
Kansai NGO Council Workshop