University of Agriculture and Technology" (JKUAT) was established in Kenya to provide training in agricultural and industrial technology, Japan provided a package of financial and technology assistance that included the construction of university buildings, the provision of equipment and resources, and the dispatch of experts. Today the "African Institute for Capacity Development" (AICAD) project is being implemented to train researchers and professionals throughout Africa through third country training and other means with JKUAT as a focal point.

With the advance of globalization, Japan has placed increasing emphasis on support for wide-area infrastructure development projects whose locations and benefits span several countries. One example is the rebuilding of the old Chirundu Bridge on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border in southern Africa, a crucial part of a transportation network linking the continent's interior with the Indian Ocean. It is vital to the region's overall economic development as the conduit for flows of people and goods. Wide-area development under “the Mekong Sub-region Development” project, meanwhile, is a priority for the countries of the Mekong basin. As one of its “flagship projects,” Japan has for many years worked closely with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the development of the East-West Corridor, an infrastructure for transportation running west through the Mekong region from central Viet Nam. Notes were exchanged in September 2001, for example, for a yen loan to finance the construction of “the Second Mekong International Bridge” at the Thai-Laos border. Furthermore, as announced at the ASEAN-plus-Three summit meeting in November 2001, Japan intends to focus its future cooperation efforts on “the East-West Corridor” concept, the aim of which is to propel real economic growth and reduce poverty in areas along the corridor while also reinforcing the “software” aspects of development. Another focus will be a “Second East-West Corridor,” which calls for roads stretching from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and then to Ho Chi Minh City and which is expected to play an important role as an “Asian Highway.”

“The Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network” (SEED-Net) is a recent example of the successful linking of regional and “software” cooperation. Established in April 2001, it encompasses 19 leading universities in the 10 ASEAN member countries. The aim is to improve university education in engineering and reduce intra-ASEAN disparities through academic opportunities in other ASEAN countries for master’s degree candidates and in Japan for doctoral candidates, and the dispatch of researchers from Japan. The network also provides research grants and organizes seminars. SEED-Net is expected to accelerate human resources development for the information-technology age while strengthening academic and industrial networking between Japan and ASEAN through personnel exchanges.

### SECTION 2. ADDRESSING GLOBAL ISSUES FOR THE SAKE OF COEXISTENCE

The trend towards globalization has been paralleled by the emergence of problems affecting countries around the world, such as global warming and the spread of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. A united response by the international community is not only essential towards resolving these problems but also in the best interest of all countries. As a nation that relies heavily on other countries for its resources and markets, Japan must coexist harmoniously with developing countries in Asia.