safeguard ODA personnel around the world. In Japan, the government examines the domestic security situation in the country through mainly Japanese embassies, provides safety and security information, and exchanges and shares information among people engaging in ODA. JICA takes measures such as providing particular training and seminars before they leave Japan, ensuring communication means in emergency situations in the destination, deploying safety officers, $ ^{18} $ and installing security equipment in the living quarters of ODA personnel. In addition, JICA prepares security manuals tailored to the security conditions of the various countries and regions by exchanging information with Japanese embassies and local offices of international organizations, and it implements other appropriate and timely security measures. As well, joint training for emergency and risk management is conducted with JICA and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The training offers the security maintenance skills of ODA personnel involved in peace building, and it tackles the strengthening of abilities in security management. In terms of grant aid, JICA operates briefings for consultants on safety measures, while also improving the system for communication during emergencies. As for loan aid, the government and implementing agencies make effort to provide safety information constantly to the Japanese firms that are to operate ODA projects.

## (5) Safety Management in ODA Projects

On 26 September 2007, an accident occurred at the site of the Can Tho Bridge Construction Project, a Japanese ODA loan project in Viet Nam, where the beams collapsed during construction. It killed as many as 55 people and injured 79 casualties (as of end of August 2008). Japan launched the “Review Meeting on Prevention of the Recurrence of the Can Tho Bridge Collapse” in November 2007 to investigate measures for preventing a similar incident from occurring in future ODA projects, based on the investigation into the accident conducted by Viet Nam’s State Committee for Investigation into Can Tho Approach Bridge Collapse.

In 2008, Viet Nam’s State Committee for Investigation into Can Tho Approach Bridge Collapse publicized the details of the final report on the causes of the accident. Subsequently, the Review Meeting adopted the “Proposals to improve project monitoring and supervision and to prevent the reoccurrence of accidents in Japanese ODA loan projects” in July.

The proposals, based on the lessons learned from the Can Tho Bridge incident, highlighted the necessity to strengthen the safety measures by implementing agencies, the government of borrowing countries, consultants, and contractors, as well as to build up mechanisms to support any insufficiencies. The Japanese government and aid implementing agencies are to take the measures incorporated in this proposal swiftly. Based on these developments, JBIC, as it then was, set up a Safety Measures Technical Advisory Group for ODA loan projects. The advisory group ensures that large-scale and complicated construction work can receive adequate technological advice from experts in a range of fields.

Furthermore in May 2005, Japan dispatched experts on safety management and quality maintenance for public work projects, at the request of the government of Viet Nam as part of its response to the collapse of the Can Tho Bridge. The experts introduced Japanese safety management and quality maintenance in its public projects to the Ministers of Transport of Vietnam as well as Construction of Vietnam. Thereby, they shared the recognition for the importance of these efforts.