## (3) Development Education

Development education and issues faced by developing countries are taught as part of the learning objectives for the “Period for Integrated Study,” a course implemented nationwide at schools of all three levels of elementary, junior high, and senior high school. In order to promote development education, MOFA has a variety of proactive efforts in place. For instance, it launched a webpage to promote development education in compulsory education at elementary and junior high schools, “Tanken Shiyo! Minna no Chikyu (Let’s Explore Our Planet)” on its own website, while video and other materials are often provided on the Plaza for International Cooperation website. Since FY 2003,

## (4) Information Disclosure and Transmission

As the source for ODA is citizen taxes, Japan is working to ensure transparency and to disclose and transmit information.

## (a) Public Relations and Information Disclosure

MOFA and JICA have each established websites (Note 55) related to ODA in an aim to transmit accurate information in a timely manner. MOFA also issues the Kokusai Kyoryoku Newspaper (International Cooperation Newspaper) that contains the latest information regarding international cooperation on a monthly basis. The newspapers are distributed to educational institutions, libraries, and similar locations around the country. MOFA also publishes an email magazine that includes episodes written by officials on overseas diplomatic missions and JICA related personnel about their actual experiences in the fields.

As part of efforts to promote international cooperation efforts and dialogue with the public, symposiums with Japanese citizens named “Kokusai Kyoryoku ni Tsuite Kataro (Let's talk about International Cooperation)” are held three times per year. MOFA also holds the ODA On-Demand-Delivery Lecture, where MOFA staff visit elementary schools, junior and senior high schools, universities, local governments, NGOs, and similar venues to describe various topics on international cooperation.

Since FY1997, a series of regular programs have been televised for promoting the public’s interest and the “Global Education Contest” (Note 54) has also been held, whereupon teaching materials for development education are gathered.

JICA, too, has conducted efforts. For example, in response to the requests of local governments that promote regional internationalization and from schools themselves, “lectures on international cooperation,” where JOCVs are sent to schools as teachers, are held along with essay contests and so on targeting nationwide junior and high school students. The “Practical Development Education Seminar” is also being implemented.

understanding of international cooperation. In FY2008, "Chibana Kurara no Chikyu Supporter" (Global Support by Kurara Chibana) was televised by a TV TOKYO affiliate, covering images of Japanese aid-related personnel active in developing countries as well as images of local residents. The show also introduced the current situation in developing countries, necessity for aid, and results from Japanese projects.

Global Festa JAPAN is held annually around International Cooperation Day (Note 56) (October 6) as Japan’s largest international cooperation event. Cosponsored by MOFA, JICA, and JANIC (Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation), the event is held on a Saturday and Sunday at Hibiya Park in Tokyo. Over 250 organizations including NGOs, international agencies and embassies of various countries present exhibits at the festival, and the festival receives about 96,000 visitors.