through various measures. Specifically, the following measures have to be considered.

The first is to strengthen collaboration between the government and implementing agencies. In order to provide assistance efficiently and effectively, it is important to enhance collaboration while keeping coherency between the government and the aid implementing agencies as well as among related offices, ministries and agencies. The revised ODA Charter also confirms the importance of such collaboration and asserts the importance of ensuring "organic linkage between the government and the implementing agencies" while making clear their roles and the apportionment of responsibilities among them. In addition, to promote such linkage, it is important to strengthen not merely collaboration between the government and the implementing agencies, but also mutual collaboration among the latter, including by means of personnel exchanges.

The government plans and draws up policies while the implementing agencies implement projects in line with the policies. JICA, which became an independent administrative institution in October 2003, has come to have more discretion in implementing projects adopted by the government, and it is thus expected to implement operations more efficiently and effectively. JICA and JBIC, as agencies specializing in assistance, have ample personnel involved in assistance and the government is thus required to make sufficient use of the promising personnel in these agencies. In Country-based ODA Task Forces, the embassies and the local offices of JICA and JBIC operate concertedly. This kind of cooperation must be strengthened further. In addition, collaboration and cooperation between JICA and JBIC have already been promoted not only through the regular exchanges of information and opinions but also in formulating and implementing specific projects. It is also important for JICA and JBIC to share furthermore the knowledge and experience under the framework of Country-based ODA Task Forces and coordinate project implementation plans and other drawn by the two agencies under Country Assistance Programs. Promotion of personnel exchange is also expected.

Second, it is an urgent task to develop human resources for supporting ODA implementation. The assistance is implemented by human beings, and the securing of excellent human resources in the field of development is essential to promote assistance efficiently. In particular, the training of experts with a high degree of knowledge and expertise in each sector and issue as well as sufficient world awareness is strongly required. The identification and training of such human resources is also a key element in promoting public participation and increasing the efficiency, which are important pillars of ODA reforms. The revised ODA Charter also calls for the "foster[ing of] aid personnel with the necessary expertise." At the same time, for such personnel to be active both within Japan and overseas, it is important to make efforts to increase the opportunities and to widely seek high-quality personnel with considerable overseas experience and extensive knowledge etc., in order to encourage them to participate in ODA activities. The government already established the "Human Resources Information Center for International Cooperation" within JICA as a part of ODA reforms, and started the provision of external services through its website from October 2003. The website provides information on international cooperation-related recruitment, registers personnel with the International Cooperation Personnel Registration System of JICA and others, and provides information on training and seminars, in order to ensure effective utilization of wide-ranging human resources for international cooperation.

Third, collaboration with the universities and research institute is also important. Japanese universities play an important role in human resources development for international cooperation by, for example, establishing international cooperation-related departments and graduate courses in the 1990s. In addition, conducting area studies and development policy studies concerning developing countries is also an important role of universities and research institutions. It is necessary to encourage such studies by university and research institution and promote accumulation of intellectual assets in Japan pertaining to development. JICA and JBIC conduct research on development assistance issues, development policies, methods of assistance, etc. in cooperation with researchers within and outside the organizations. Moreover, in July 2003, the "Support and Coordination Project for University Cooperation in International Development" was started with the aim of utilizing intellectual resources possessed by Japanese universities for wide-ranging development cooperation, and has promoted enhancement of the environment protection for the participation of universities, etc. in development cooperation. By further accumulating such efforts, Japan is expected to develop the human resources who support Japan's assistance.

## Summary

As mentioned above, there are still plenty of tasks remaining regarding Japan's ODA. For Japan to exercise its leadership in providing assistance to developing countries as a leading donor, it is essential to continue to make persistent efforts without being trapped by complacency because of past achievements.