Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) and Senior Volunteers. Under the JOCV program, young Japanese men and women are sent to developing countries to engage in social and economic development activities together with local residents. The JOCV program carries out finely detailed technology transfer tailored to local needs, helping promote friendly ties between Japan and the recipient countries and giving the volunteers themselves a more international perspective. This program has been highly praised both at home and abroad.

The Senior Volunteer system, meanwhile, calls on Japan’s middle-aged and older citizens with a broad range of highly refined skills and a wealth of practical experience to contribute their expertise to the development of developing countries. This system addresses the increasingly complex and diverse needs of developing countries and is expected to be utilized in a much broader manner in the future.

NGOs represent typical examples of public participation in cooperation activities whose organization and areas of activity vary widely. Some provide emergency humanitarian assistance for victims of and refugees from conflicts and natural disasters, while others deliver community healthcare services, support rural development, raise educational standards, offer advice on formulation of policies, conduct activities for enlightenment in developmental issues, and organize NGO networks.

Involvement in assistance activities by a broader segment of society has also meant greater input from members of academia. In addition to the kinds of expertise described above, scholars contribute to the scouting and training of personnel to carry out ODA evaluation through the Japan Evaluation Society, established in September 2000 (see Chapter 4, Section 2 (3) for further details).

The Japanese government will reinforce the activities of the JOCVs and Senior Volunteers and expand its support for NGOs to further promote the participation of citizens in development assistance. The government will also assist volunteers participating in these activities by addressing the issue of reemployment for volunteers who are returning to Japan, and support capacity building to enhance the management capabilities and specialization of Japanese NGOs.

### SECTION 3. PUBLIC-PRIVATE INTERACTION

In order to provide citizens from all walks of life with a better understanding of development assistance and conditions in developing countries and promote active participation in ODA projects, it is necessary to strive for greater transparency and to actively promote public disclosure, as well as to inform citizens about the role and significance of ODA in the classroom and other venues.

In addition to promoting public disclosure regarding the bidding for ODA projects, the Japanese government is making efforts to promptly post information on the achievement of ODA projects and their findings on the Internet. Beginning in fiscal year 2001, JICA and JBIC have been publishing ex-post evaluations and compiling and publishing an “Ex-ante Project Evaluation Sheet” that provides an account of the need for each ODA project prior to its implementation, as well as a summary of the project’s goals and anticipated results. Thus, continuing efforts are being made to establish a uniform evaluation system covering the ex-ante, midterm, and ex-post stages in order to improve transparency in ODA activities.

It is essential not only that the government provide information on a one-way basis but also that the views of citizens be taken into consideration.