(tentative translation)

Reforming Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Japan

Changes in global orientations and conditions awaiting Japan's ODA

Four basic principles towards fundamental reform of the ODA administration

1. Clarification of responsibilities in policy establishment and implementation of ODA through administrative reform
2. A greater role of the private sector under a new division of labor between the government and the private sector (the business, NGOs, and academia)
3. Implementation of assistance with involvement of a larger Japanese public
4. Abolishing quantitative target on assistance expenditure and promoting effective assistance programs

PROPOSAL - 1.
Reform ODA Administration

• ODA administration must be aware that the current ODA administration in Japan is complicated. It involves many different ministries, lacks coordination and flexibility towards changing global conditions. It is therefore necessary to designate one ministry which formulate assistance policies. Execution of such policies must be left for one government agency which will dedicate itself in coordinating and implementing the assistance programs. Division of labor between policy making ministry and program implementation agency must be clearly established.

• A new agency for implementation, what shall be titled e.g., “International Cooperation Agency” must be established to implement assistance programs.

PROPOSAL - 2.
Reforming ODA Programs: Assistance through Partnership Programs with Private Sector (the business, NGOs, and academia)

• The Japanese Government, jointly with the private sector, shall formulate a comprehensive assistance programs.

• Expertise of the private sector must be utilized in every stage of the assistance programs including planning, implementation, and evaluation.

PROPOSAL - 3.
Ways and Means to Improve the Quality of Assistance

• Packaged comprehensive assistance must be provided. (Packaging include: grant, loan and technical assistance; geographical linkage of bilateral and multilateral assistance; donor combination – jointly with other donor countries, and/or with international organizations, etc.; combination of ODA with private-sector resources.)

• A comprehensive public relations activities should be implemented to gain understanding of the Japanese people and to keep improving its assistance efforts. In doing so a database consisting of past assistance programs, on-going programs and requests must be constructed and disclosed.