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Japan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Rights-based development
Education defined as a human right?
Commitment to free and compulsory education
Non-discrimination (race, ethnicity, religion, minority, disability)
Gender
Trends in Japan’s Aid
Aid for Education

 

Rights-based development

" ‘Human-centered development’ is indispensable to the realisation of sustainable development…Based on this human-centered approach, special attention will be given to the least developed countries. Due attention will also be focused on ‘human security’ and the protection of individuals and communities from various dangers and threats, including…human rights infringements…"1

"Japan continues to view ODA as an extremely important means of implementing the country's diplomacy…[t]he provision of ODA excelling both in terms of quantity and quality continues to be an important means for Japan's participation in the efforts of the international community and for realizing the national interest. Providing ODA to support democratization and adoption of market economies in developing countries, to maintain and promote the free trade system, and to work toward resolving environmental and other global issues also directly promotes Japan's own interests." 2

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Education defined as a human right?

"Not only is access to education a basic human right, it is a key factor in developing an effective response to the problems of poverty, population, and the environment in developing countries." 3

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Commitment to free and compulsory education

There is no mention of commitment to free and compulsory education in Japan's development aid policies.

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Non-discrimination (race, ethnicity, religion, minority, disability)

"Japan will emphasize support for policy and institutional development, including the development of legal frameworks, in the… Protection of socially vulnerable groups and individuals." 4

"Measures for the Effective Implementation of ODA… Full consideration will be given to the socially weak, such as the disadvantaged, children and the elderly" 5

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Gender

"Japan will provide the following forms of support…Japan will pay special attention to supporting basic education for girls…" 6

"Full consideration will be given to the active participation of women in development, and to their obtaining benefits from development." 7

"When Japan extends ODA, it gives consideration to achieving empowerment and gender equality…Special attention will be paid to the Three Priority Areas: Education, Health and Economic and Social Participation." 8

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Trends in Japan's Aid

  • Japan’s place among 22 DAC donors 9

    Net ODA volume:
    -1st in 1999 (US$15.32b)
    -1st in 2000 (US$13.06b)

    ODA/GNP:
    -8th in 1999 (0.35%)
    -12th in 2000 (0.27%)

  • Breakdown of Japan’s ODA (1999)
    -Bilateral 68%
    -Multilateral 32%10
  • In 1999, 0.7% of bilateral aid commitments were tied to goods and services from Japan.11
  • According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, "the total ODA budget in the government draft budget for FY 2001 decreased by 3 percent from the previous fiscal year.12

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Aid for Education

  • · In 1999, Japan committed 8.7% of bilateral ODA to Education, and 0.4% to basic education. 13
  • · In 1997/98 Japan committed 3.0% of bilateral ODA to basic social services. 14

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1 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Medium-term Policy on Official Development Assistance, August 10, 1999. Text at http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/summary/1999/ref2_01.html
2 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Diplomatic Bluebook 2001, (Chapter II, Section 3,A.) Text at http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/2001/index.html
3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Medium-term Policy on Official Development Assistance.
4 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Medium-term Policy on Official Development Assistance.
5 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Official Development Assistance Charter, June 30,1992. Text at http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/summary/1999/ref1.html
6 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Medium-term Policy on Official Development Assistance.
7 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Official Development Assistance Charter.
8 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Japan's Initiative on Women in Development. Text at http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/category/wid/japan.html
9 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000.
10 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000.
11 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000.
12 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Diplomatic Bluebook, 2001. (Chapter II, Section 3,B.)
13 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000.
14 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000.

Updated: 15 March 2002