July, the "Fifteen Specific Measures for ODA Reform" was issued for five areas; "auditing," "evaluation," "partnership with NGOs," "exploring, fostering and utilizing human resources" and "information disclosure and publicity," under the principle of immediately implementing whatever reforms were possible, and consequently, reforms were promoted.

Consideration on ODA reforms was also advanced in the course of the overall reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was promoted to restore public trust in response to its series of scandals revealed from the beginning of 2001 onward. Consequently, the "Action Program" for the Reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was formulated in the summer of 2002, in which ODA reforms were also incorporated as one of the key points of the reform, together with various measures for its realization.

In the series of ODA reforms, Former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi announced the revision of the ODA Charter in December 2002, and the ODA Charter was revised by the Cabinet decision in August 2003, as the grand sum of these reforms. Before the revision, the government paid attention to ensure the public participation, which was the main point of ODA reforms, through wide-ranging discussions, such as active exchanges of opinions with intellectuals, implementing agencies, NGOs, the business world, etc. as well as public comments and public hearings, in addition to considerations within the government.

Strengthening Collaboration with NGOs and Other Aid Bodies

Increasing public participation is essential to ODA reforms. To increase the participation of all levels, collaboration with various aid bodies including NGOs, local governments, universities and labor unions, has been strengthened.

International cooperation activities by NGOs play an important role for the reason that NGOs could provide meticulous assistance at the grassroots level based on local communities and residents in developing countries as well as prompt and flexible responses in emergency humanitarian assistance. Japanese NGOs engaged in international cooperation intensified their activities in the wake of the Indochina refugee crisis in 1979 and the famine in Africa in 1984, and the number of the NGOs also increased greatly. However, compared with European and U.S. NGOs, which are supported by a long history and an established organizational basis with abundant experience, international activities by Japanese NGOs leave quite a lot to be enhanced and strengthened.

While NGOs intensify their activities, the collaborative relationship between NGOs and the government and the support activities of government have been consistently strengthened since the end of the 1980s. For example, the NGO Project Subsidies and Grant Aid for Grassroots Projects were introduced in fiscal year 1989, and the Non-Governmental Organizations Assistance Division was established within the Economic Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994. In succession, the NGO-MOFA Regular Meeting aimed at promoting dialogues with NGOs started in fiscal year 1996. In fiscal year 2000, the "Japan Platform" $ ^{*1} $

Grassroots Technical Cooperation Project in the Philippines ("Build-up of a Sustainable Ecosystem through Reforestation and Agroforestry: Philippines) (Photo: IKGS Reforestation Campaign)

## $ ^{*} $ I: Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy

The board was launched with the aim of promoting public participation, ensuring transparency, and strengthening the functioning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a coordinating authority for ODA. It consists of the Minister of Foreign Affairs as the chair, and Mr. Toshio Watanabe, Dean of the Faculty of International Development, Takushoku University, as the acting chair, as well as development experts, people with experience in international organizations, those involved in NGOs, people from the business world, and journalists. The board discusses basic policies for ODA, such as the formulation and review of the Country Assistance Programs, as well as major issues regarding ODA.