## Chapter 1

Japan's ODA: Accomplishments of 50 Years

The engineers express their joy on the completion of the Kali-Konto Dam's Temporary Drainage Tunnel (1966)

## Key Points

• Japan has contributed greatly to social and economic development of developing countries as one of the major donor countries.

Japan's ODA is highly praised and appreciated by recipient countries. At the same time, it contributes to ensuring Japan's security and prosperity through building a peaceful and stable international order and strengthening Japan's position and influence in the international community.

• In East Asia, Japan has supported the infrastructure development that forms the foundations of development, mainly through Yen loans, and contributes to remarkable economic development in the countries of this region.

In the aspect of human resource development, also, which is key to nation-building, Japan has supported over a long period the fostering of the human resources that leads in the development of developing countries.

Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) celebrates its 50th anniversary in October 2004. On October 6, 1954, Japan joined the Colombo Plan $ ^{1} $ and started to provide technical cooperation. The government of Japan fixed this date as the beginning of Japan's ODA and set October 6 as the annual International Cooperation Day.

On the occasion of reaching this significant milestone, looking back at the accomplishments and progress of Japan's ODA over the past 50 years has profound significance. The 50th anniversary is an opportunity to examine the role Japan's ODA has played to date in the development of developing countries. It is also a chance to consider how Japan's ODA has changed in the process in which Japan has improved its position after World War II in the international community. Particularly, following last year's revision of the ODA Charter, Japan's ODA is now in transformation. Furthermore, for considering the desirable future form of Japan's ODA and the direction of ODA reforms, reflecting on its accomplishments and progress over the past 50 years is also extremely beneficial and important.

In Part I, while reviewing the accomplishments and progress of 50 years of Japan's ODA, the special features of Japan's cooperation are set out. First, what kind of contribution Japan's ODA has made to improving development of developing countries and improvement of their welfare is examined. Then, the progress of Japan's ODA is reviewed, including the path Japan took after World War II to acquire its current position in the world while strengthening cooperation and collaboration with the other members of the international community. Furthermore, in the context of recent new trends in international community surrounding assistance, how Japan should provide assistance in the future and what direction ODA reforms should take is explained.

In Chapter 1, the past 50 years are reviewed, focusing on the accomplishments that Japan's assistance has achieved during that period. Japan's assistance has contributed to the development of many developing countries, particularly Asian countries, and it has received high praise from countries throughout the world. Moreover, such contribution to development has also been achieving other considerable accomplishments. These include bolstering friendships between these countries and Japan, strengthening exchange between people throughout the world and the Japanese people, and improving Japan's position in the international community.

Evaluation is possible from a variety of angles regarding what kind of accomplishments Japanese assistance has