broad range of organizations outside government in Japan, including local governments, private enterprises, research institutes, NGOs, and others. Thus Japan will actively collaborate with such organizations in assisting developing countries. Collaboration will also be pursued with international organizations that have specialist knowledge and means of implementation.

### iii. Approach to address disasters and specific actions

Japan will cope with disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis through a similar approach to that mentioned above (ii), by utilizing its own experiences, technology (including scientific technology related to observation) and human resources in which it has international comparative advantage.

## (4) Peace-building

### i. Japan’s position on peace-building

(a) Since the end of the Cold War, numerous regional and domestic conflicts have occurred. Not infrequently, conflicts have recurred after hostilities had once ceased. Conflicts bring about various problems, such as the creation of refugees and internal displaced persons, destruction of the social and economic infrastructure, and malfunctions in the governing structure. As a result, it becomes extremely difficult for people to maintain their lives, livelihoods and dignity, and development at the national and regional level is impeded. In this sense, peace and stability are prerequisites for development.

(b) The purpose of peace-building is to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of conflicts, alleviate the various difficulties that people face during and immediately after conflicts, and subsequently achieve long-term stable development.

Assistance for the prevention of conflicts and in their closing stages, post-conflict emergency humanitarian assistance, and medium- to long-term reconstruction development assistance are essential to allow peace to take root. For example, employment generation and reconstruction of hospitals and schools through ODA enable people to sustain their livelihoods and gain access to education and health services. This in turn brings home to them the "dividends of peace," leading to peace and stability in a society. Assistance in peace-building needs to fully take into account and give consideration to promoting processes for peace, such as dialogue between opposing groups. The individual circumstances—political, social, historical and cultural—of each country and region must also be fully taken into account.

(c) Japan is determined to make an active contribution to peace-building in concert with international organizations, other donors, the domestic private sector, and NGOs.

### ii. Approach to peace-building and specific actions

It must be borne in mind that Japanese assistance for peace-building may be hindered by a variety of obstacles, such as the local security situation and malfunction of government. Therefore, in providing assistance for peace-building, Japan's stance should be to steadily implement what is possible while paying maximum consideration to the safety of those involved in providing assistance.

## (a) Assistance corresponding to various stages before and after conflict

The following forms of support will be provided corresponding to the stage that a country or region is at, ranging from prevention of conflict or its recurrence, the immediate post-conflict stage to restoration, reconstruction, and mid to long-term development.

## (i) Assistance to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of conflicts

In countries at risk of conflict and in countries that are socially unstable in the aftermath of conflict, it is especially important to provide development assistance that gives full consideration to conflict prevention. Target regions and aid recipients should be selected after first accurately analyzing the causes of the conflict taking into account the historical and cultural background, and care should be taken to avoid fomenting conflicts, for example through biased