Publication

This article examines how Japan’s approach to foreign aid has changed since the 1980s, with a particular emphasis on the adjustments made to the country’s official development assistance (ODA) charter in 2015. The text’s author observes that although the renewed charter retains a good number of the core themes found in previous versions, including human security, poverty alleviation, health maintenance and women’s welfare, it has incorporated some new and controversial elements as well. They include 1) providing aid to support Japan’s idea of Proactive Peace, which can include supporting non-combat military activities, and 2) dispensing aid that supports Tokyo’s national interests.