## Section 4

# Operational Status of the Principle of Assistance Implementation

The objective of official development assistance (ODA) is to contribute to economic development and improving the welfare of developing countries so as to create a world where all people can live in a humane manner and in peace. In addition, ODA aims to ensure the safety and prosperity of Japan by contributing to the peace and development of the international community. $ ^{[Note\ 45]} $ In order to disburse funds, which come from taxpayer money, in an appropriate fashion, Japan provides assistance in compliance with the assistance principles of the ODA Charter, in consideration of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations (especially sovereign equality and non-intervention in internal affairs) as well as the points listed below, and after comprehensively taking into account the developing countries' need for assistance, socioeconomic conditions, and bilateral relations with the recipient country: (1) Environmental conservation and development should be pursued in tandem; (2) Any use of ODA for military purposes or for aggravation of international conflicts should be avoided; (3) Full attention should be paid to trends in recipient countries' military expenditures, their development and production of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, their export and import of arms, etc., so as to maintain and strengthen international peace and stability, including the prevention of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and from the viewpoint that developing countries should place appropriate priorities in the allocation of their resources on their own economic and social development; and (4) Full attention should be paid to efforts for promoting democratization and the introduction of a market-oriented economy, and the situation regarding the protection of basic human rights and freedoms in the developing countries.

## • Specific Operations

For specific operation regarding the principle of ODA implementation, it is vital that judgments are made not by mechanically adhering to a series of set standards, but by comprehensive evaluation on a case-by-case basis that considers the various conditions in the recipient country and other related situations. In addition, humanitarian considerations for the people in the developing country must also be taken into account. In the event that development aid is

## ☑ Consideration on the Environment and Society

In promoting economic development, consideration is needed toward environmental burdens and the effects on the local community. Japan has experienced numerous instances of industrial pollution, including Minamata disease. Based on these experiences, Japan implements ODA carefully in order to minimize adverse impacts on the environment. Japan also pays consideration to making sure that its development policies do not elicit undesirable effects on local society, and in particular the socially vulnerable, such as those suffering from poverty, women, ethnic minorities, and disabled suspended or minimized according to the principle of ODA implementation, it is the ordinary people of these developing countries, in particular the impoverished people, that suffer from the most serious impact. Consequently, even in cases in which it has been decided to suspend or minimize development aid, it is necessary to consider combining such judgment with measures that give special consideration to the implementation of emergency or humanitarian assistance.

persons. For example, JICA established guidelines (Note 46) for addressing impacts on the environment and society and conducts procedures to confirm that consideration is being paid to environmental and social factors in its preliminary surveys, environmental reviews, as well as monitoring at the implementation stage. In addition, Japan intends to incorporate the gender perspective on all project levels—including policy formulation, planning, implementation, and evaluation—in order to promote gender mainstreaming in development.