| James Kon in Japan |
ASSISTING foreign countries in development is not easy and Japan’s assistance is more towards loans than grants which is different from Europe and America’s assistance, said Shinichi Kitaoka, the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Kitaoka made these comments during a briefing with journalists from Asean member countries, at JICA’s headquarters in Nibancho Center Building, Tokyo.
The President of JICA said the loan is mainly for the development of infrastructure in Asean member countries. The recipient countries have to pay back the money, which provides a sense of responsibility, he said.
JICA is a major contributor to the success in development of infrastructures and human capacity of Asean member countries.
Asean will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its establishment in August. Kitaoka, during the interview with journalists in Japan under the ‘Japanese experience that can contribute to the development challenges of Southeast Asia’ programme, lauded the long standing relation between JICA and Asean.
In the past decades, Japan has contributed in the economic growth, poverty reduction, achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the promotion of peace and stability in Asean member countries through infrastructure developments through financial cooperation, Technical cooperation and human resources development.
Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Asean member countries has amounted to about 16 trillion Yen (US$160 billion).
Brunei Darussalam became a ‘graduated country’ from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) List of ODA recipient countries in January 1996.
Shinichi Kitaoka, the President of Japan International Cooperation Agency with the Asean journalists
Hideaki Maruyama, Director of Planning Division, Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, JICA during his presentation on the latest cooperative trends with the Asean region. – JAMES KON
On the principles of providing ODA to recipient’s countries, the President of JICA said the project must be beneficial to the people of the recipient country.
Kitaoka hoped that through the infrastructure cooperation, the relations between Japan and the recipient country improve, thus contributing to further connectivity.
“Our ODA comes from tax payers’ money so we need to pay serious attention. In addition, another principle is that the assistance should also benefit Japanese businesses and economy,” he said, adding that JICA should not lend beyond its financial capacity.
“We are negotiating with the governments of Asean member countries and the Japanese Government to help build infrastructure to contribute to the further success of the region,” he said.
Responding to a question about JICA’s policy and China’s ‘One belt and One Road’ policy, the President of JICA said this policy can be more open and beneficial to the people of the recipient country, and that countries should not borrow beyond their financial capacity.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the 23rd International
Conference on the Future of Asia in June emphasised that Tokyo is “ready to extend cooperation” with the condition that it will be in “harmony with a free and fair trans-Pacific economic zone”, that the infrastructure built will “be open to use by everyone” and “developed through procurement that is transparent and fair” and that the projects will “be economically viable and financed by debt that can be repaid, and not harm the debtor nations’ finances”.
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