To meet such needs, the Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID), which was established in 1990 as an institution to promote the concept of an International Development University, has been carrying out training for assistance personnel, dispatching people overseas, and conducting survey and research projects. In April 2000, FASID and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) jointly commenced a Master’s Program in International Development Studies at GRIPS. This program aims to produce candidates for management positions in international institutions and people to occupy key posts in the Japanese government and ODA implementation bodies through advanced graduate studies that are both practical and internationally valid on development economics, project management, poverty issues, and other subjects. Courses concerning development cooperation have also been established at a number of national and private universities (notably Kobe and Nagoya Universities), with cooperation from FASID, including the dispatch of instructors.

JICA, which implements technical cooperation, has been making use of the specialized knowledge of experts in relevant governmental organizations and local governments, and in some fields it has been hiring experts from the private sector under an Open Recruitment system so as to be able to employ external human resources, particularly younger people and expert personnel on the front lines of its operations. $ ^{24} $ Starting in fiscal year 2002, JICA has moved to further promote the use of personnel from the private sector in order to make more active use of Japanese industry’s store of advanced technology. In addition, the agency is implementing training for experts scheduled to be dispatched to developing countries, including language instruction and courses about healthcare matters, along with such cross-sectoral issues as the environment and Women in Development (WID); it also offers training and seminars for local civil servants and employees of NGOs.

By actively promoting the participation of people of various age groups through the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and Senior Volunteer programs and the involvement in ODA by local civil servants and active employees of private-sector businesses with distinctive experiences and technical expertise, JICA makes use of Japan’s leading technologies and know-how in the provision of assistance for developing countries. $ ^{25} $

In response to calls noting the importance of coordination with NGOs and other organizations, JICA launched in fiscal year 2002 a program to promote public participation in development cooperation, as a part of which it is implementing the JICA Partnership Program for grassroots technical cooperation. It is hoped that this undertaking will allow the active implementation of assistance making maximum use of the know-how to be found in NGOs, local governments, universities, and elsewhere within Japan.

There is also increasing demand for support on the “soft” side, involving systems and policies, so that capabilities in the area of consulting need to be strengthened. An active exchange of ideas with consultants in this field is