Chapter 2

4. Addressing Global Issues

(1) Environmental Protection

Japan is advancing concrete assistance in the environmental field based on the “Environmental Conservation Initiative for Sustainable Development (EcoISD).” Japan’s assistance disbursements in the environmental field in fiscal year 2002 amounted to approximately ¥405.4 billion by the total of grant aid, Japan’s ODA loans, technical cooperation and contributions to multilateral organizations, and they were approximately 34.9% of total ODA disbursements. As cooperation utilizing Grant Aid for the Global Environment, which was established in fiscal year 2001, in fiscal year 2002 Japan carried out 11 projects and disbursements for these projects amounted to approximately ¥4.6 billion (E/N basis). These projects included “The Project for Afforestation for Conservation of Middle Stream of Huang He” in China and “The Project for Supply of Equipment for Waste Management in Hanoi City” in Viet Nam.

A. Efforts to Address Global Warming
Japan is transferring and disseminating technologies to address global warming to developing countries and enhancing their capacity to address this issue from scientific, social and institutional aspects. ODA in this field is implemented based on the “Kyoto Initiative” ^*1 and in fiscal year 2002, in fields related to addressing global warming, Japan carried out training of approximately 1,700 people (JICA disbursements) through technical cooperation including acceptance of trainees and dispatch of experts. Through loan aid, Japan provided approximately ¥79.5 billion (E/N basis) to implement seven projects related to addressing global warming applying the most concessional loan terms (priority interest rates). One such project was the “Henan Atmospheric Environmental Improvement Project” in China.

Subsequently the detailed rules on the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol were stipulated at the Seventh Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP7) held in November 2001. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)^*2 contributes to reducing greenhouse gasses and promotes sustainable development in developing countries. It is an important mechanism for the achievement of Japan’s reduction target for emission. In fiscal year 2002, Japan implemented measures to promote CDM, including the establishment of the “Liaison Committee for Utilization of Kyoto Mechanism” constituted from related government offices and ministries, the establishment of procedures to approve programs such as CDM and the development of Japan’s National Registry for greenhouse gas reduction credits. Japan intends to comply with international rules and implement ODA projects as CDM projects, on the premise of the agreement of recipient countries.

B. Pollution Control
Support for measures to control pollution and improve the living environment (air pollution, water contamination, waste management, etc.) in urban areas, mainly in the Asian countries that are continuing to achieve rapid economic growth, is becoming a higher priority. Japan has accumulated a lot of experiences and technologies in the process of addressing domestic pollution issues and it is utilizing these experiences and technologies to provide cooperation to address pollution issues in developing countries.

Specific efforts in this field include the promotion of cooperation between countries by the “Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia,” through formation of a common understanding and information exchange of the acid rain issue in East Asia, the building of capacity to respond to environmental pollution in developing countries through technical cooperation for the “Environmental Center” which is the core of the environmental administration in six countries including China, Mexico, etc., and other such measures. And Japan is providing support for the building of a pollution control manager system through the “Green Aid Plan (GAP)” inaugurated in 1992 and now targeted to seven Asian countries, support for creating manuals for environmental protection, support for research and development tailored to the unique technical and development issues of developing countries, and so on. Looking at a specific example, Japan made model cases of environmental improvement by providing practical advice, including on-site guidance in factories, and held dialogues with the government of the recipient country concerning plans for improvement, including the dissemination of the results of the model cases. Furthermore, Japan has formulated and provided response manuals through the project to support measures to address fixed sources of air pollution in developing countries.

Technical guidance at a previously-existing wastewater treatment plant under the auspices of the Green Aid Plan (Thailand). (Photo: the Water Re-Use Promotion Center)

C. Fresh Water issues
In relation to environmental protection, Japan is implementing support for water supply and sewage systems that take into account the characteristics of urban and rural areas, and water resource management and water quality control. (Refer for details.)

D. Conservation of Natural Environment
Japan is providing support to developing countries for nature reserves management, forest-related issues, prevention of desertification, and natural resources management, while taking into account the poverty reduction of the residents in developing countries. Under the “National Strategy on Biological Diversity of Japan” which was approved by Japan’s Council of Ministries for Global Environment Conservation in March 2002, it is stated that because Japan and the wider world, particularly the Asian region, have a deep relationship both in terms of the natural environment and socio-economics, it is necessary for Japan to actively contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in the Asian region, etc.

Specific efforts in this field include enhancing and strengthening national park management, improving the capacity of studies and research concerning conservation of biodiversity, cooperation for the development of information systems under the “Biodiversity Conservation Project” in Indonesia, and the holding of meetings for the promotion of the “Asia Forest Partnership (AFP)” ^*3 which was established to promote sustainable forest management in Asia.

Column 2

International Cooperation Initiated by Japan—the Global Mapping Project

In response to the adoption of the action plan for sustainable development “Agenda 21” at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environmental and Development (“Earth Summit”), in the same year Japan proposed the “Global Mapping Project” initiative in collaboration with the national cartography institutions of each country and related international organizations. The initiative aims at developing global geographical information to graph the current state and changes of the global environment. Since then progress has been made such as the establishment of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping in 1996 (in which Japan is in charge of the secretariat), and the commencement of the data publication in 2000, and the necessity of global mapping has been recognized by the United Nations (UN) and the rest of the world. The “Johannesburg Plan of Implementation” was adopted at the WSSD (Johannesburg Summit) held in South Africa in August and September 2002 and stipulates an agreement to “encourage initiatives and partnerships for global mapping.” Efforts in global mapping were also included in the Koizumi Initiative, Concrete Actions of Japanese Government to be taken for Sustainable Development, which was announced at the summit. The development of global mapping has now become an enormous project in which 132 countries participate. (Figure 1.) Data development in each country has been steadily progressing and data for 18 countries equivalent to 13% of the land area of the earth have been developed and published. Including the preparation period for release, data is expected to be developed for 51%, more than half, of the land area of the earth. As the country which advocated the project, Japan is providing support for compilation of global mapping data in developing countries and carrying out technology transfer through JICA training, aiming to complete development of data for the entire land area by 2007. As the development of global mapping data makes progress, use of global mapping has been well underway for environmental monitoring of deforestation, desertification, and land-use change and for all kinds of forecasts including food stock, water resources availability, and land-use.It is also expected to serve for the realization of sustainable development in the future, particularly in developing countries. Figure 1. Countries Participating in the Global Mapping Project An example of a use of global mapping. (Change in temperature and a forecast of the rice production, Bangladesh. On the left is the current situation; on the right is the forecast of rice production assuming a temperature rise of two degrees and a doubling of the concentration of carbon dioxide.)

(2) Infectious Diseases

Japan is making efforts to combat infectious diseases in developing countries through collaborations between MOFA, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, JICA and other related ministries, agencies and organizations based on the “Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative (IDI).” The IDI call the due attention of the international community in measures to combat infectious diseases and led to the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in January 2002, as explained in Part II. (Refer for details.) The specific efforts made in fiscal year 2002 for each major infectious disease are as follows. Efforts in the health sector other than for infectious diseases are explained in detail in Part III. (Refer for details.)

A. HIV/AIDS
Japan is contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention activities for young people and high risk groups, VCT activities (HIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and testing), the development of AIDS testing and diagnostic kits, and other measures. Major disbursements in fiscal year 2002 included: support for basic AIDS research in Thailand, Kenya, Zambia and Ghana; the provision of HIV testing kits to 15 countries including Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Mexico, etc. And through the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Japan has supported to grasp the global trends in HIV/AIDS, developed vaccines, promoted the development of new AIDS treatments, developed guidelines for AIDS control measures, and taken other measures. (Refer for details about Japan’s contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, etc.)

B. Polio
Polio has nearly been eradicated from the entire world. For example, WHO declared the Western Pacific region¹³ as a polio free area in 2000. Japan provides assistance for the South Asian and African regions where polio has not yet been eradicated, and in fiscal year 2002 it provided approximately ¥4.95 billion in assistance to 22 countries for polio vaccination and dispatched experts, JOCV members.

C. Tuberculosis
In order to expand implementation of the DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy, Short Course) strategy, in fiscal year 2002 Japan carried out cooperation including provision of anti-TB drugs and testing equipment totaling ¥402 million to China, dispatch of experts, acceptance of 44 trainees from developing countries to Japan’s Research Institute of Tuberculosis, and construction of a tuberculosis center in Yemen to conduct training about control measures, diagnosis and research for tuberculosis.

D. Malaria
To combat malaria, Japan is mainly providing assistance for mosquito nets promotion. Major disbursements in fiscal year 2002 included provision of mosquito nets to Ethiopia and Mauritania, packaged with polio and measles vaccines, etc. as a part of measures to combat childhood infectious diseases, and the provision of mosquito nets and malaria prevention education in Nigeria.

A hospital using insecticide-treated mosquito nets to combat malaria (Nigeria)

E. Parasitic Diseases
Japan is carrying out human resources development and research activities in the International Parasite Control Centers it has established in Thailand, Kenya and Ghana in order to control parasitic diseases, including malaria, and is making efforts to combat guinea worm, filariasis, soil-born parasites, etc. through support for NGOs and JOCV. In particular Japan is making the second biggest contribution to eradication of the guinea worm after the US. The number of people infected with the guinea worm worldwide declined from approximately 3.5 million in 1986 to approximately 55,000 in 2002, a 98% decrease. Japan is continuing efforts toward eradication of the guinea worm from the entire world. In February 2003 Japan hosted the “Workshop on Global Parasite Control 2003” and discussed the promotion of measures to combat parasites globally with WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, etc.

F. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Concerning SARS control measures, Japan dispatched the Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team¹⁴ to Viet Nam in March 2003. Japan received a request for assistance to control SARS from the Government of Viet Nam on March 13 and in collaboration with and coordination by the related ministries (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, MOFA) and the implementing agency (JICA), Japan was able to respond quickly, making the decision to send the Expert Team on March 16. Japan had no experience of providing emergency assistance to control emerging infectious diseases at that time and it was expected that the Expert Team dispatched this time to help control SARS would face many difficulties. However the Expert Team collaborated and coordinated with Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Viet Nam and organizations such as WHO, etc. that were already implementing cooperation in Viet Nam through Japanese technical cooperation projects, and it has been able to make a significant contribution to bringing SARS under control in Viet Nam by giving advice about patient treatment approaches and infection prevention, etc., providing infection prevention equipment, and other efforts.

Japan is actively collaborating with international organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS, etc. and with the US and other donor countries. In addition, measures to control HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases are being implemented through funds established by contributions from Japan. These funds include the UN “Trust Fund for Human Security;” the “Japan Trust Fund (JTF) for HIV/AIDS” of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), an international NGO; the UNESCO “Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources;” the World Bank “Japan Social Development Fund” and the UNDP “Japan Human Resources Trust Fund.”

As extensive cooperation, Japan has launched the “Japan-ASEAN Information and Human Network for Infectious Diseases Control” for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and other parasitic diseases in the Asian region where Japan’s experience fighting infectious diseases is easily applied and is promoting the control of infectious diseases in the Asian region.

Column 3

Efforts to Control Neglected Diseases—the Pacific Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (PacELF)

Currently most international assistance to control infectious diseases goes to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, etc. However, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are not the only infectious diseases. There are also diseases like filariasis that are not fatal, but cause serious outcome to the human body and physical and psychological suffering to patients. Diseases such as filariasis for which the development of medicines is not advanced or there are medicines but these are not sufficiently reaching the poor in developing countries are called “neglected diseases.” These diseases were discussed at the G8 Evian Summit in 2003 and measures to control them are urgently required. It is said that there are approximately 120 million people infected by filariasis worldwide. Filariasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes and it develops symptoms such as elephantiasis and swelling of the scrotum*1. In developing countries the social burden of filariasis is large and can be the cause of poverty. WHO has declared filariasis to be an eradicable disease and in May 1997 announced a plan to eradicate filariasis from the world by 2020. In response to this declaration, health ministers from all of the countries in the Western Pacific region met in Palau in March 1999, resolved to work with the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO/WPRO) to eradicate filariasis from the Western Pacific region by 2010, and commenced PacELF. Before PacELF was begun, absolutely no measure was being taken to control filariasis in the Western Pacific region except for Samoa and French Polynesia. There were many countries that were not even aware of the existence of filariasis. WHO/WPRO established the PacELF office in Fiji and is implementing a program to eradicate filariasis in the 22 countries and regions of the Pacific with team leader Dr Kazuyo Ichimori of WPRO taking a central role. Japan is collaborating with WHO/WPRO and had provided assistance of ¥110 million to PacELF by fiscal year 2002. As bilateral assistance, Japan has provided equipment such as vermifuges and testing kits, and dispatched JOCV members and senior volunteers. Samoa is one country that was taking measures to control filariasis before the other countries in the Western Pacific region. It set up a Filariasis Control Department in its Ministry of Health in 1964 and the rate of infection was declining, but Samoa had not succeeded in eradicating filariasis completely. However, it participated in the 1999 PacELF and launched a five year plan to eradicate filariasis. The JOCV members dispatched to Samoa cooperated with the staff at the Samoan Ministry of Health to carry out blood testing, distribution of medicines, management of supplies sent from the PacELF office, reporting, etc. The measures to control filariasis in Samoa are rooted in local communities and institutions to cooperate with local people are in place. For example, on the day of blood testing the village women’s associations set up the testing center and notified the villagers, etc. An interim evaluation of PacELF was carried out in five countries and regions (American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Vanuatu) from 2002 to 2003. The results showed a 91% decline in the rate of positive tests for the filariasis larvae and a 39% decline in the positive rate for the filaria antigen*2. PacELF, which was developed as a component of the WHO worldwide filariasis eradication program, is being highly appreciated as a successful example of a filariasis eradication program. The organizational management, technical methods for controlling filariasis, etc. of PacELF is a model for eradication programs being carried out in other regions of the world. Nationwide Drug Dispensing Campaign in Fiji *1 The symptoms that symbolize filariasis: the arms, legs and external genitals swell up like an elephant’s legs and the surface of the skin becomes very rough. The parasites that cause filariasis lodge in the lymph ducts inside the human body and grow there causing the lymph ducts to become blocked and lymph fluid to collect in the extremities, resulting in the above symptoms. *2 Filariasis testing methods and indicators can be broadly classified into two types. The positive rate for the filaria larvae is a simple method of checking with a microscope whether or not filaria larvae are present in the blood. The positive rate for the filaria antigen is a method that uses a testing kit to test whether or not adult worms are present in the blood. In the filaria elimination process what is generally observed is that first the positive rate for the filaria larvae shows a large decline and then the positive rate for the filaria antigen decline.

(3) Food

Participants in the World Food Summit held in 1996 announced that they would cooperate in achieving global food security and halving the malnourished population of the world by 2015 (The Rome Declaration). This target was also incorporated in the MDGs compiled in 2000. At the “World Food Summit: Five Years Later” held in June 2002, the specific targets of the Rome Declaration were reaffirmed, the implementation of the Rome action plan was strengthened, and a political document was adopted; the “international alliance to end hunger” called for all stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, etc., to work toward achievement of the target, etc.

Column 4

Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project

The Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project was implemented on the Mindanao Island, one of the poorest regions in the southern Philippines. The objectives of the project were to construct irrigation facilities in the central region of Mindanao Island, and to improve the agricultural productivity of the region and improve the lives of the local farmers. Japan provided ¥4.86 billion in ODA loans for the Government of the Philippines in 1989. Meanwhile, the anti-government Islamic forces have been active on Mindanao Island since the 1970s and public security has been unstable for a long time. The construction period of this project was forced to be extended several times due to the security problems. However, owning to the tireless efforts of the people involved, the project made steady progress and was finally completed in the fall of 2003. This irrigation project has made rice cultivation possible not only in the rainy season, but also in the dry season and the agricultural productivity in the region has tripled according to the National Irrigation Administration of the Philippines. In addition, peace talks between the Government of the Philippines and the anti-government Islamic forces have continued and to date, 195 armed Muslim fighters have found hope in starting new farming in the project region, and have disarmed to reintegrate into society as farmers. In this way this project has been highly appreciated not only from the perspective of agricultural cooperation, which is to contribute to improving the lives of approximately 4,500 Christian and Muslim farmers in the region, but also from the perspective of peace-building that by contributing to the improvement of the security situation in the region. President Arroyo has praised this project as a “showcase for peace and development in Central Mindanao.” Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project

Japan, taking into account these efforts by the international community, is mainly providing assistance that contributes to improving food productivity in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries with the aim of achieving sustainable food production. The majority of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas and work in agriculture so assistance for the agricultural sector is important not only for the food issue, but also for poverty reduction. As for methods of providing cooperation, Japan believes that two approaches are necessary: emergency measures and medium and long-term measures.

Emergency measures include responding to hunger, which remains a serious problem. These measures are indispensable from a humanitarian perspective. At the WSSD in August 2002, Japan announced food support for the food crisis in southern Africa as one specific action of the Government of Japan for “sustainable development” and aimed to respond appropriately to the needs in the region. As a result, in fiscal year 2002 Japan provided food assistance of ¥10.13 billion for sub-Saharan Africa.

Medium and long-term measures are important from the perspective of eliminating and preventing the causes of food problems including hunger and Japan is taking various measures as follows.

In the agricultural sector Japan is providing funds to purchase fertilizer, agricultural machinery, seeds for agricultural crops, etc. which are essential for the cultivation of crops, carrying out technical cooperation such as acceptance of trainees, dispatch of experts, dispatch of members of JOCV, etc. to improve agricultural technology, for example by maintaining and managing irrigation facilities and disseminating agriculture, providing cooperation for the development of roads, collection points, etc. and the strengthening of distribution systems in order to develop irrigation facilities and improve market access, and so on. In introducing a typical project, Japan, with a view to utilizing the experience of Asia in Africa in the agricultural sector, has dispatched experts to the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) to help with the development of New Rice for Africa (NERICA), hybrid varieties developed through crossing Asian and African rice species, and is providing assistance through international organizations such as the UNDP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), etc. The NERICA rice project is being implemented primarily in regions of West Africa suitable for rice cultivation using methods that allow farmers to choose from all rice varieties including NERICA, thereby enhancing farmers’ ownership. Even though there are some differences among countries, it has been reported that it can be expected that NERICA rice will become more widely grown in West Africa. Meanwhile it has been reported that there are issues that need to be improved including measures to deal with a shortage of seeds, managing soil degradation, ensuring seed quality, developing appropriate cultivation standards, identifying appropriate varieties for local environment, etc. Japan will continue to make efforts to contribute to ensuring food security in the African region by promoting research and development and dissemination of NERICA rice. Japan is also providing active assistance to “Food for Work” projects and to School Feedings being implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP). “Food for Work” projects carry out development of rural infrastructure, etc. through the participation by local farmers and pay them for their labor by distributing food. Their objective is to promote the ownership of local residents. Providing school meals increases children’s school attendance rates and their understanding of lessons. In addition, distributing food as a take-home ration to children at school, particularly girls, is useful for assisting the lives of families and promoting understanding of education by families.

Concerning the provision of agricultural chemicals through the food production assistance previously carried out by Japan, if such chemicals are not properly stored there is a great danger that they will have a bad effect on the environment and the human body so, beginning in December 2002 Japan decided in principle not to provide agricultural chemicals unless sound storage institutions have been put in place. Japan is making efforts for the appropriate implementation of assistance by seeking the understanding and efforts for improvement of developing countries.

In the fisheries sector, Japan is providing technical cooperation including infrastructure development—for example development and provision of fishing ports and fishing facilities, etc.—provision of equipment to the fisheries vocational training centers and fisheries schools, technical assistance for fishing, among other measures. Japan is also using Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects to provide assistance to improve the lives of subsistence fishermen through regional fishing industry organizations.

Developing agricultural irrigation in a WFP Food for Work project (Côte d’Ivoire)

(4) Energy

In developing countries ensuring the stable energy supplies needed to realize economic development is an issue. And it is forecasted that with the economic development of mainly developing countries, particularly in Asia, the world demand for energy will increase in the future. The energy problem is a global issue that is related to measures to deal with global environmental problem and achievement of sustainable development.

Japan, in light of the importance of energy from the perspective of sustainable development and taking into account energy and environmental conservation, is providing cooperation for a stable supply of energy in developing countries. For Japan which is extremely dependent of imported energy and mineral resources, cooperation in this sector is also important in terms of ensuring a stable supply of resources. Japan is carrying out assistance for projects that are difficult to implement through the private sector or Other Official Flows (OOF) and assistance that contributes to the promotion of energy conservation or the promotion of the use of renewable energy, etc.

In recent years, cooperation in this sector for projects designed to improve public welfare and reduce poverty such as regional electrification and the development of electricity transmission facilities have been increasing. Because they are relatively large-scale and have substantial economic benefits, they have been mostly implemented through ODA loans. In fiscal year 2002 ODA loans in the energy sector came to approximately ¥221.5 billion (34.7% of all ODA loans) for a total of 11 projects in seven countries and grant aid came to approximately ¥2.4 billion (2.4% of the total grant aid).

Among cooperation through ODA loans, the Tashkent Thermal Power Plant Modernization Project in Uzbekistan, the Muara Karang Gas Power Plant Project and the Muara Tawar Gas Fired Power Plant Extension Project in Indonesia, etc. also have the objectives not only of providing a stable supply of electricity, but also of reducing the environmental burden through efficient use of domestic natural gas.

Concerning grant aid, in Nepal and Laos, Japan is providing designs for the construction of new substations and the installation of power lines, and financial cooperation for the repair of substations, etc. and is aiming for a stable electricity supply. It is hoped that this will lead to the revitalization of socioeconomic activity.

In the technical cooperation sector Japan is carrying out technology transfer and human resources development in the energy and environmental measures sector—energy management, energy conservation, renewable energy, and the development of industrialization—and other sectors. For example, Japan is implementing factory analysis projects including projects for on-site guidance in factories and the Energy Conservation Training Center Project which carries out energy conservation training, etc. In the future, Japan intends to advance energy sector cooperation that contributes to the promotion of stable electricity supply in developing countries and promotion of the CDM¹⁵ and that utilizes energy conservation and renewable energy.

(5) Drugs

In recent years in the Asian region, particularly in the “Golden Triangle,”¹⁶ the problem of synthetic drugs has worsened and smuggling by international drugs syndicates has become more sophisticated. The impact of such drugs problem on Japan is incalculable. Against this background and from the perspective of the concept of “human security”—protecting individuals from threats to their lives, livelihood, and dignity as well as focusing on each individual in order to ensure the freedom and potential of human beings—Japan is placing importance on tackling the drugs problem in the international community.

It is important that both developed and developing countries make efforts to control drugs as a matter of priority and take measures through international cooperation involving related international organizations. Japan has made efforts to strengthen cooperation with international organizations, in particular through active involvement in drug-related international conferences¹⁷ and financial contributions to the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP), and to use bilateral ODA to support the drugs control efforts of developing countries.

With regard to Japan’s assistance for drug control measures in fiscal year 2002 a large part of it went to the Indo-China region, and Latin America and other regions are also major recipients. One characteristic of the assistance implemented in fiscal year 2002 is that Japan’s projects widely benefited the whole Indo-China region.

Cooperation to control drugs through Japan’s ODA has been effective by implementation focusing on assistance in the reduction of drug demand and supply and the improvement of crime prevention and law enforcement capacity.

Efforts to reduce demand include technical cooperation and such assistance as drug-related education campaigns, and rehabilitation and vocational training for addicts through activities carried out by international organizations and NGOs.

Taking into account the fact that the background of the cultivation of poppies and cannabis lies in the poverty of rural regions, Japan is placing priority, in its efforts to reduce supply, on rural development in order to enable people to earn a living without relying on drugs for income. Specifically, Japan is providing assistance that directly improves the lives of residents in drugs producing regions such as the development of irrigation facilities and support for the cultivation of alternative crops.

Assistance for improvement of crime prevention and law enforcement capacity is focused on transfer of drug analysis technology through technical cooperation and human resources development such as assistance for the legislative development.

To give a specific example of assistance in fiscal year 2002, under the “Drug Control Regional Cooperation Project (technical cooperation project 2002–2005)” in Thailand, Japan is transferring the drug analysis technology, which is necessary to identify major drugs manufacturing places to the Thai Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB). In this project, technology transfer is also being carried out to the other countries in Indo-China (Viet Nam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos) with Thailand as a base. The project is expected to widely benefit drugs control measures in the Indo-China region in future.

13. The Western Pacific region is 37 countries and regions including Japan, ROK, China, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Laos.
14. A total of six experts were dispatched: three in the First Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team (March 16–25) and three in the Second Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team (March 26 to April 1).
15. Refer to Environmental Protection for details.
16. One of the largest opium and heroin producing center in the world comprised of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
17. In April 2002 the “International Drug Control Summit 2002” was jointly hosted by the Government of Japan, the Federation of Japanese Parliamentarians to Fight Against Abuse of Narcotics and Amphetamine-type Stimulants (ATS) (Japan) and the UNDCP. It was held in Tokyo, marking the first time this summit was held in Asia.