Chart I -21 Flow of ODA Reforms

Overall movements	Movements centering on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Apr. 1997	Council on External Economic Cooperation discusses the basic understanding of ODA.	Council on ODA Reforms for the 21st Century (First Council on ODA Reform) is launched.
May	First Council on ODA Reform publishes an "Urgent Statement on Fiscal Structural Reform"
June	First Council on ODA Reform publishes the "Interim Report."
Jan. 1998	First Council on ODA Reform publishes the "Final Report."
June	Basic Law on the Administrative Reform of the Central Government is enacted.
Foreign Economic Cooperation Council submits "On Promotional Measures for Future Economic Cooperation."
July	Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi instructs of the need for steps to improve transparency and efficiency of ODA.
Nov.	At the Bureau meeting for Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related ministries and agencies agree on the "Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency of ODA."
Apr. 1999	Japan Bank for International Cooperation Law is enacted.
July	Liberal Democratic Party Special Committee on External Economic Cooperation announces the proposal for "Strategic Implementation of Economic Cooperation toward the 21st Century."
Law for the Establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is enacted.
Aug.	Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers is held: "Medium-Term Policy on Official Development Assistance"
House of Councillors Committee on Oversight of Administration adopts the "Resolution on ODA."	"Medium-Term Policy on Official Development Assistance" is published.
Oct.	Japan Bank for International Cooperation is established.
Mar. 2000	"Inter-Ministerial Meeting on ODA" starts to be held.
May 2001	Second Council on ODA Reform is launched.
Aug.	Second Council on ODA Reform publishes the "Interim Report."
Feb. 2002	"Ten Reform Principles to Ensure an Open Foreign Ministry" (Large-boned Policy) is published.
Advisory Board for the Reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is launched.
Mar.	Second Council on ODA Reform submits the "Final Report."
June	Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy is launched.
July	Task Force on Foreign Relations for the Prime Minister submits the "Japan's ODA Strategy."
Ten Recommendations for the Reform of MOFAs:
Revitalizing Diplomacy that Serves the National Interest presented by the Liberal Democratic Party is published.
"Fifteen Specific Measures for ODA Reform" is published.	"Fifteen Specific Measures for ODA Reform" is published.
Advisory Board for the Reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes the "Final Report."
Aug.	"Action Program" for the Reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is formulated.
Nov.	Experts' Meeting on Financial Cooperation starts to be held.
Dec.	LDP's ODA Reform Working Team makes a report, "Specific Measures for ODA Reform: toward ODA that could be understood by the public."	"ODA Reform: Implementation of Three Measures" is published.
The Interim Report on "Organizational Reform" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is published.
Feb. 2003	"Committee for Grant Aid" starts to be held.
Mar.	Country-based ODA Task Force is launched.
Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers is held: "Basic Policy on Revision of ODA Charter	"Final Report" on Structural Reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is submitted.
Apr.	"Country Assistance Planning Division" is established within the Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Aug.	Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers is held: Revision of the ODA Charter	The "ODA Charter" is revised.
Oct.	Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) becomes an independent administrative institution.
Apr. 2004	JICA restructures its organization.
Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers is held: "Peace Building by Utilizing ODA including Assistance of Iraqi Reconstruction," etc.
Aug.	Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements institutional reform: "Aid Planning Division," "First Country Assistance Planning Division" and "Second Country Assistance Planning Division" are established within the Economic Cooperation Bureau.

Note: Black text indicates movements relating to ODA reforms, while blue text signifies movements related to the reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.