Japan vows to push “offer-based” development aid in annual paper

Japan’s Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Japan has pledged to promote “offer-based” development assistance instead of waiting for developing countries to request funding, as outlined in its annual economic aid policy document released on Tuesday.

Improving the Official Development Assistance System

The white paper on development cooperation, released by the Foreign Ministry, highlights Japan’s commitment to persistently improving the official development assistance system. This will be achieved by combining a more proactive aid approach with its traditional request-based method.

This new approach was adopted after updating the Development Cooperation Charter policy guideline in June last year. The revision was made in response to China’s increased economic influence in the developing world through investment.

Linking National Interests to International Community Development

Building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous international community is directly linked to Japan’s national interests. The role that development assistance should play has become increasingly important, as stated in the document.

Foreign Aid as a Diplomatic Tool

In the paper, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa emphasizes that Tokyo will use foreign aid as one of its most important diplomatic tools. The aim is to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, which can be seen as a response to China’s growing presence in the region. The economic and military assertiveness of Beijing has led to increased tensions between the two countries.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speaks at a meeting with her South Korean and Chinese counterparts, Park Jin and Wang Yi, in Busan, South Korea, on Nov. 26, 2023. (Kyodo)

Supporting Reconstruction Work in Ukraine

Kamikawa also vows to continue supporting reconstruction work in Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion since February 2022. The white paper emphasizes the importance of collaborating with private firms and attracting investment for this purpose.

Foreign Aid Figures

The white paper reveals that Japan’s foreign aid in 2022, calculated by international standards under the grant equivalent system, decreased by 0.8 percent from 2021 to approximately $17.50 billion. This decrease can be attributed to the weaker yen against the U.S. dollar.

This is the first decrease since the current calculation method was introduced in 2018. However, the yen-based figure increased by 18.8 percent to 2.30 trillion yen ($15.6 billion) in 2022, reflecting various support measures for Ukraine during that year.

Among the nations of the 32-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee, Japan remained the third-largest aid provider for the year, following the United States and Germany.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article discusses Japan’s pledge to promote development assistance and its commitment to building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous international community. These issues are connected to SDG 8, which focuses on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The article also mentions Japan’s support for reconstruction work in Ukraine, which relates to SDG 16’s goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. Additionally, the article highlights Japan’s aim to use foreign aid as a diplomatic tool and collaborate with private firms, indicating a focus on SDG 17’s target of strengthening global partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 percent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries.
• Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
• Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence.

Based on the article’s content, Japan’s promotion of development assistance and its commitment to economic growth align with Target 8.1 of SDG 8. The mention of supporting reconstruction work in Ukraine relates to Target 16.1 of SDG 16, which aims to reduce violence and related death rates. The emphasis on using foreign aid as a diplomatic tool and collaborating with private firms corresponds to Target 17.2 of SDG 17, which focuses on enhancing global macroeconomic stability.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 8.1.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita
• Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination
• Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
• Indicator 17.2.1: Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, the identified targets can be measured using the following indicators from the SDG framework. Indicator 8.1.1 measures the annual growth rate of real GDP per capita, which can be used to track progress towards Target 8.1. Indicator 10.7.1 assesses the recruitment cost borne by employees as a proportion of their yearly income, which relates to Target 10.7. Indicator 16.1.1 measures the number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, providing a measure for Target 16.1. Finally, Indicator 17.2.1 evaluates the net official development assistance as a proportion of donors’ gross national income, which aligns with Target 17.2.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: english.kyodonews.net

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