Official Development Assistance (ODA)
8. History of Japan's Assistance to Developing Countries (1945-1999)
| Events concerning Japanese economic cooperation | World events concerning economic cooperation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945/12 | Bretton Woods Convention comes into effect; International Monetary Find (IMF) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD: World Bank) are founded. | ||
| 1947/6 | European Restoration Aid Plan (Marshall Plan) is announced. | ||
| 1948/8 | Food supply to Japan under the Economic Rehabilitation in Occupied Area (EROA) plan begins. | ||
| 1949/1 | U.S. announces Point Four Program. | ||
| 1949/1 | Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) is established by the Soviet Union and East European nations. | ||
| 1949/4 | North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is signed. | ||
| 1950/12 | Export Bank of Japan is founded. (Renamed Export-Import Bank of Japan in Apr. 1952) | 1950/1 | Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific is inaugurated. |
| 1950/6 | Korean War begins. | ||
| 1951/9 | San Francisco Peace Treaty and Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between Japan and the United States of America are signed. | ||
| 1952/8 | Japan joins the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD: World Bank) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). | ||
| 1953/10 | First loans from the World Bank to Japan | ||
| 1954/4 | Asian Cooperation Foundation is founded. | ||
| 1954/10 | Japan participates in the Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific. | ||
| 1954/11 | Japan-Burma Peace Treaty and Agreement on Reparations and Economic Cooperation is signed. | ||
| 1955/7 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs establishes Reparations Department in its Asian Affairs Bureau. Agreement between Japan and Thailand concerning settlement of "Special Yen Problems." |
1955/4 | Conference of African and Asian Nations is held in Bandung. |
| 1955/9 | Japan joins General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). | ||
| 1956/5 | Japan-Philippines Agreement on Reparations is signed. | 1956/12 | Japan is granted membership to the United Nations. |
| 1957/4 | Pre-investment basic survey starts (prototype of development survey). | ||
| 1958/1 | Japan-Indonesia Peace Treaty and Agreement on Repatriations and Economic Cooperation is signed. | 1958/1 | European Economic Community (EEC) is founded. |
| 1958/2 | ODA loans begin (Japan-India Exchange of Notes is signed). | 1958/4 | The first Conference of Independent African Nations is held. |
| 1958/10 | Japan-Laos Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation is signed. | ||
| 1959/3 | Japan-Cambodia Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation is signed. | 1959/12 | Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is founded. |
| 1959/4 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs establishes Economic Cooperation Department in the Economic Affairs Bureau. | ||
| 1959/4 | Activities of Overseas Technological Training Center begin (prototype of project-type technical cooperation). | ||
| 1959/5 | Japan-South Viet Nam Agreement on Reparations is signed. | ||
| 1960/3 | Japan joins Development Assistance Group (DAG). | 1960/1 | Oliver Franks proposes importance of North-South issues. |
| 1960/12 | Japan joins International Development Association (IDA: Second World Bank). | 1960/1 | Development Assistance Group (DAG) is founded. |
| 1960/9 | Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is founded. | ||
| 1960/9 | International Development Association (IDA: Second World Bank) is founded. | ||
| 1960/12 | Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is founded. | ||
| 1961/3 | The Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) is founded. | 1961/10 | Development Assistance Committee (DAC: formerly DAG) is established. Japan is an original member country. |
| 1961/6 | Council on International Economic Cooperation is established. | 1961/11 | USAID is established. |
| 1961/12 | 10 Years of UN Development is adopted at the 16th UN General Assembly. | ||
| 1962/1 | U.S.-Japan Agreement on Government Appropriation for Relief in Occupied Area (GARIOA) and the Economic Rehabilitation in Occupied Area (EROA) Debts is signed. | 1962/1 | DAC chairman's report is published for the first time. |
| 1962/1 | Agreement between Japan and Thailand concerning settlement of "Special Yen Problems" is signed. | 1962/10 | Cuban missile crisis |
| 1962/5 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs establishes Economic Cooperation Bureau. | ||
| 1962/6 | DAC conducts the first review of annual assistance to Japan. | ||
| 1962/6 | Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency (OTCA) is founded. | ||
| 1963/3 | Japan-Burma Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation is signed. | 1963/5 | Organization of African Unity (OAU) Charter is signed. |
| 1964/4 | Japan joins Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). | 1964/2 | Prebisch Report, "Search for New Trade Policy for Development" is published. |
| 1964/4 | Provision program of equipment and materials begins. | 1964/3 | First meeting of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is held. |
| 1964/5 | Reparations development of Asian Affairs Bureau is integrated into the Economic Cooperation Bureau. | 1964/11 | African Development Bank (AfDB) is founded. |
| 1965/4 | Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOVC) inaugurated. | 1965/2 | U.S. begins bombing North Viet Nam. |
| 1966/7 | Two-step loans start. | 1966/1 | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is founded. |
| 1966/8 | Asian Development Bank (ADB) is founded: Japan becomes one of the original members. | ||
| 1967/1 | United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is founded. | ||
| 1967/7 | European Community (EC) is founded. | ||
| 1967/8 | Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is founded. | ||
| 1968/7 | Food aid starts. | 1968/2 | Second General Assembly of UNCTAD declares ODA target of 1% of GNP. |
| 1968/7 | Acceptance of trainees by JIC reaches 10,000. General grant aid starts. |
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| 1969/4 | A two-fold increase in aid to Asia within a period of five years is announced at the Second ADB General Meeting. | 1969/10 | Pearson Report, "Partner on Development" is announced. |
| 1970/10 | UN adopts as a resolution: Second United Nations Development Decade. | ||
| 1971/8 | U.S. announces the new economic policy (Nixon Shock). | ||
| 1971/12 | Meeting of finance ministers from 10 countries agree to multi-national currency adjustment: establishment of Smithsonian System. | ||
| 1972/4 | ODA target of 0.7% of GNP is declared at General Assembly of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). | 1972/6 | UN Conference on Human Environment is held in Stockholm. |
| 1972/5 | Introduction of untied loans is approved by cabinet meeting. | 1972/6 | Diplomatic relations are resumed between Japan and the People's Republic of China. |
| 1972/10 | DAC issues new recommendation on terms and conditions of aid to define ODA. | ||
| 1973 | Fishery grant starts. | 1973/10 | Ministerial meeting of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decides to raise posted price of crude oil: the First Oil Crisis. |
| 1974/4 | Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is founded. | 1974/5 | The Sixth UN Special General Assembly on resources adopts Declaration to Establish New International Economic Order (NIED) and Special Project to Support Most Seriously Affected Countries (MSAC). |
| 1975/3 | Third country training starts. | 1975/2 | Lome Convention is signed. |
| 1975/3 | Japan-Saudi Arabia Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation is signed. | 1975/8 | United Nations International Conference on Population is held in Bucharest. |
| 1975/4 | Grant Aid for Cultural Activities starts. | 1975/9 | UN Special General Assembly devoted to Development and International Economic Cooperation. |
| 1975/7 | The Ministerial Council for External Economic Cooperation is established. | ||
| 1975/7 | ODA loans activities are transferred to OECF. | ||
| 1976/7 | Japan joins Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). | 1976/2 | The first ASEAN Summit is held in Paris. |
| 1976/7 | Reparations payments to the Philippines are completed (all reparations are completed). | ||
| 1977/4 | Aid for increasing food production starts. | 1977/11 | International Fund for Agricultural Development is founded. |
| 1977/8 | Fukuda Doctrine is announced. | ||
| 1978/1 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes "Economic Cooperation: Present and Future--North-South Problems and Development Assistance." | 1978/8 | World Bank announces the first World Development Report. |
| 1978/4 | Grant aid for debt relief starts. | 1978/8 | China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty is signed. |
| 1978/7 | The First Medium-Term Target of ODA (a plan to double ODA in three years) is announced at the G7 meeting in Bonn. | ||
| 1979/12 | The First ODA Loan Package to China is announced. | 1979/5 | Brant Committee announces North and South--Strategy for Coexistence. |
| 1980/12 | UN General Assembly adopts International Development Strategy Concerning the Third United Nations Development Decade. | ||
| 1981/1 | The Second Medium-Term Target of ODA (a plan to double ODA in five years) is announced. | 1981/10 | North-South Summit, International Conference on Cooperation and Development is held in Cancun. |
| 1981/1 | Economic Cooperation Evaluation Committee is established. | ||
| 1981/2 | Economic Cooperation Study Group of Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes "The Philosophies of Economic Cooperation--Why Official Development Assistance?" | ||
| 1982/9 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the first version of the "Economic Cooperation Evaluation Report." | 1982/8 | Mexico declares moratorium on debt repayments. |
| 1983/2 | Japan joins the African Development Bank (AfDB). | ||
| 1984/3 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the first version of "Japan's Overseas Development Assistance" (known as the "ODA White Paper"). | 1984/6 | The first meeting of Latin American debtor countries is held in Cartagena. |
| 1984/3 | The Second ODA Loan Package to China is announced. | 1984/8 | The United Nations International Conference on Population adopts the Mexico City Declaration on Population and Development. |
| 1985/9 | The Third Medium-Term Target of ODA is announced. | 1985/9 | Meeting of Finance Ministers and Governors of Central Banks from the five countries announces the Plaza Agreement. |
| 1986/7 | Structural Adjustment Loans (SAL) with the World Bank start. | ||
| 1987/5 | Financial recycling scheme is announced. | ||
| 1987/7 | Non-project grant aid for structural adjustment support starts. | ||
| 1987/9 | International emergency relief team is founded. | ||
| 1987/10 | International Cooperation Day is established. | ||
| 1988/5 | International Cooperation Plan is announced. | 1988/9 | The Paris Club agrees on Toronto Terms. |
| 1988/6 | The Fourth Medium-Term Target of ODA is announced. | ||
| 1988/7 | The Management & Coordination Agency issues "Results of Administrative Inspection Concerning ODA." | ||
| 1989/4 | Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects and NGO Subsidy System starts. | 1989/6 | Tiananmen Square incident in Beijing |
| 1989/7 | Government announces its intention to strengthen environmental cooperation to developing countries at the G7 meeting in Paris (Arche). | 1989/11 | Collapse of the Berlin Wall |
| 1989/9 | The Management & Coordination Agency issues "Results of Second Administrative Inspection Concerning ODA." | ||
| 1989/12 | Japan becomes the top ODA donor for the first time among DAC countries. | ||
| 1990/4 | Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID) is founded. | 1990/5 | UNDP "Human Development Report" is first published. |
| 1990/7 | Japan completes repayment of World Bank loans. | 1990/8 | Iraq invades Kuwait: the Gulf Crisis. |
| 1990/7 | The Third ODA Loan Package to China is announced. | 1990/10 | Unification of Germany |
| 1990/10 | The final meeting of the South Commission adopts the Challenge to the South. | ||
| 1990/12 | International Development Strategy in Fourth 10 Years of UN Development is adopted. | ||
| 1991/1 | International Volunteer Saving System starts. | 1991/2 | The Gulf Crisis ends. |
| 1991/4 | The Four ODA Guidelines are formulated. | 1991/4 | European Bank of Recovery and Development (EBRD) is founded: Japan is one of the original members. |
| 1991/9 | Japan and World Bank co-sponsor the first Mongolia Assistance Group Meeting in Tokyo. | 1991/7 | The 17th Summit of the Nine Industrialized Nations (London Summit) decides on emergency support to the Soviet Union. |
| 1991/12 | Collapse of the Soviet Union: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is established. | ||
| 1992/6 | Japan participates in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED: Earth Summit): declares that Japan's ODA in the environment will increase to between ¥900 billion and ¥1 trillion in the five years from FY1992. | 1992/6 | The United Nations Conferences on Environment and Development (UNCED: Earth Summit) is held in Rio de Janeiro. |
| 1992/6 | Japan's Official Development Assistance Charter (The ODA Charter) is approved at Cabinet meeting. | ||
| 1992/11 | Yen loans to Viet Nam resume. | ||
| 1993/6 | The Fifth Medium-Term Target of ODA and Funds for Development initiative are announced. | 1993/5 | General election in Cambodia |
| 1993/7 | Common Agenda for Cooperation in a Global Perspective is announced as a result of Japan-U.S. Framework talks. | 1993/9 | Israel and the PLO sign Agreement on Palestinian Interim Self-Government. |
| 1993/9 | Japan sponsors the first meeting of International Committee on Reconstruction of Cambodia (ICORC) in Paris. | ||
| 1993/10 | Japan co-sponsors the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. | ||
| 1993/10 | Plaza for International Cooperation is established. | ||
| 1994/2 | Japan announces Global Issues Initiatives (GII) on Population and AIDS, committing around $3 billion during 1994-2000. | 1994/4 | General election in the Republic of South Africa |
| 1994/4 | Compensation Scheme for Volunteers starts within the Subsidy for NGO Projects. | 1994/8 | The 10th International Conference on AIDS is held in Yokohama. |
| 1994/7 | JICA celebrates its 20th anniversary. | 1994/9 | International Conference on Population and Development is held in Cairo. |
| 1994/12 | The Fourth ODA Loan Package to China is announced. | 1994/12 | The Paris Club agrees on the Naples Terms. |
| 1995/4 | Projects to help women attain independence are included in the category of subsidies for NGO projects. | 1995/2 | Ministerial Forum for Comprehensive Development of Indochina (sponsored by Japan, held in Tokyo) |
| 1995/5 | Disaster relief and aid for democratization process are commenced. | 1995/3 | The UN World Summit for Social Development (held in Copenhagen) |
| 1995/8 | Grant aid to China is suspended in principle. | 1995/9 | The UN Fourth World Women's Conference (held in Beijing) |
| 1995/9 | Japan announces Initiative on Women in Development at the Fourth World Conference on Women. | 1995/11 | Osaka Conference of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is held. |
| 1995/9 | ODA logo is decided. | 1995/12 | Bosnia peace accord is signed in Paris. |
| 1995/10 | JOCV celebrates its 30th anniversary. | ||
| 1995/11 | Accord on Partnership for Progress is reached as the framework of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). | ||
| 1996/1 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces Japan's support for private-sector infrastructure development. | 1996/5 | New Development Strategy is adopted at the DAC High-Level meeting. |
| 1996/4 | Local community development projects are made eligible for NGO Project subsidies. | 1996/11 | Global Food Summit is held in Rome. |
| 1996/4 | Japan's initiatives on assistance to Africa are announced. | ||
| 1996/5 | Japan-China Comprehensive Forum on Environment Cooperation is inaugurated. | ||
| 1996/8 | Report on "Greater Mekong Development Vision Task Force" is released. | ||
| 1997/3 | Recommencing of Grant Aid to China | 1997/6 | Denver Summit |
| 1997/3 | Management and Coordination Agency releases "The Results of Administrative Inspection on ODA (mainly ODA loans)." | 1997/6 | The United Nation's General Assembly Special Session on Environment and Development |
| 1997/4 | Grant Aid for Child Health is introduced. | 1997/7 | Thai baht plunges in value, triggering Asian currency and financial crisis. |
| 1997/6 | Cabinet determines policy on Fiscal Structural Reform. | 1997/12 | Japan signs Antipersonnel Land mines Ban Treaty. |
| 1997/6 | "Initiatives for Sustainable Development toward the 21st Century (ISD)" is announced. | 1997/12 | Third Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (in Kyoto) |
| 1997/6 | Interim Report by Study Group for Reform of ODA is announced. | 1997/12 | ASEAN-Japan Summit Meeting |
| 1997/9 | Japan-China Environmental Cooperation toward the 21st Century is announced. | ||
| 1997/11 | Japan announces assistance for projects to remove land mines. | ||
| 1997/12 | Japan announces Kyoto Initiative (assistance to developing countries for combating global warming). | ||
| 1997/12 | Japan proposes Japan-ASEAN Program for Comprehensive Human Resource Development. | ||
| 1998/1 | Council on ODA Reforms issues final report. | 1998/5 | India, Pakistan conduct underground nuclear tests. |
| 1998/2 | Emergency Economic Stabilization Measures for Southeast Asia | 1998/5 | Indonesian President Suharto steps down. |
| 1998/3 | Japan-U.S. Common Agenda Open Forum | 1998/5 | Birmingham Summit |
| 1998/4 | Comprehensive Economic Measures | 1998/6 | UN Special Session on Drugs |
| 1998/5 | Suspension, in principle, of new grant aid and yen loans to India and Pakistan | 1998/11 | Fourth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (in Buenos Aires) adopts Buenos Aires Action Plan. |
| 1998/6 | Council on External Economic Cooperation releases recommendations in "Strategies for the Pursuit of Future Economic Cooperation." | 1998/11 | APEC ministerial conference and summit (in Kuala Lumpur) |
| 1998/7 | In first cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Obuchi cites need for steps to improve transparency and efficiency of ODA. | 1998/12 | Conference commemorating 50th anniversary of World Human Rights Declaration (in New York) |
| 1998/10 | Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development adopts Tokyo Agenda for Action. | ||
| 1998/11 | Japan dispatches the SDF unit to hurricane-devastated Honduras in its first overseas deployment as a Japan Disaster Relief Team. | ||
| 1999/2 | International conference on Cambodian reconstruction (in Tokyo) | 1999/4 | NATO summit and 50th anniversary (in Washington, D.C.) |
| 1999/6 | Announcement of Köln Debt Initiative | 1999/6 | Köln Summit |
| 1999/8 | Announcement of Medium-Term Policy on Official Development Assistance | 1999/6 | UN Special Session on Population and Development (in New York) |