development when assisting the development of developing countries; and (5) “partnership and collaboration with the international community” with a view to pursuing collaboration with international organizations and other assistance providers including NGOs and the private sector. Based on these objectives and basic policies, Japan provides support for the peace and development of developing countries focusing on the following priority issues: (1) “poverty reduction,” (2) “sustainable growth,” (3) “addressing global issues,” and (4) “peacebuilding.”

The “II. Principle of ODA Implementation” section stipulates that ODA is to be provided with full attention paid to preventing any use of ODA for military purposes, as well as to promoting the democratization of the developing countries.

The “III. Formulation and Implementation of ODA Policy” section states that for the implementation of ODA it is essential that the Government of Japan in its entirety draft and implement assistance policies in a unified and coherent manner to enhance the strategic value, flexibility, transparency, and efficiency of ODA. Since ODA is funded by taxpayers, this section specifies the Government’s resolve to promote public understanding with respect to ODA.

The “IV. Reporting on the Status of Implementation of the Official Development Assistance Charter” section states that the Government will report the status of the aid implementation in this White Paper published every year. This is to clarify accountability of the implementation of ODA.

### 2. Japan's Medium-Term ODA Policy and Country Assistance Plans

The Medium-Term Policy on Official Development Assistance details Japan’s positions, approaches, and specific actions toward more strategic implementation of ODA, giving practical mapping to the philosophy and measures outlined in the ODA Charter. The policy is to be revised after evaluating the implementation status, while giving consideration to the situation at home and overseas. The latest revision took place in February 2005, listing specific items to be addressed under the three categories of (1) “perspective of human security”; (2) four priority issues of “poverty reduction,” “sustainable growth,” “addressing global issues,” and “peacebuilding”; and (3) “measures to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of assistance.”

Furthermore, since 2003 Japan has been formulating the Country Assistance Plans for major recipient countries to implement ODA in a more consistent, efficient, and effective manner. Each of the Country Assistance Plans sets out Japan's assistance timetable for next five years or so, based on developmental needs of the target country and its current developmental plans. It also outlines the significance of Japan's assistance to that country, the direction in which Japan should aim in extending cooperation, priority areas, major challenges, and points of consideration in implementing aid. The plan is formulated after thoroughly hearing opinions from the local ODA Task Force comprised of the Japanese diplomatic missions and JICA overseas offices in developing countries. Target countries are selected based on the volume of assistance, strategic importance, relevance to global developmental issues, regional balance, international aid cooperation, and other trends, all of which should be weighed in a comprehensive manner.

### 3. Priority Policy Issues for International Cooperation

From FY2007, Japan is formulating a set of the Priority Policy Issues for International Cooperation for every fiscal year. To supplement the Country Assistance Plans, which lay out five-year aid policies for major recipient countries, the Priority Policy Issues for International Cooperation are spelt out to clarify priority issues in swiftly responding to the recent development of Japan’s diplomacy and arising developmental issues. They are duly reflected in the project formulation of the year.

For FY2007, the following items were set as priority issues, with consideration to Japan’s expected leadership in hosting the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in 2008, and in particular to the weight that

Representatives of African countries at the Ministerial-level Preparatory Meeting for the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) (Source: Jiji)