Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2006
Next PageMain Text > Part II ODA DISBURSEMENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2005 > Chapter 2 Details about Japan's ODA > Section 4. Operational Status of the Principle of ODA Implementation
Section 4. Operational Status of the Principle of ODA Implementation
Japan implements ODA in accordance with the stipulations of the ODA Charter. The principle of ODA implementation is based on the philosophy of this ODA Charter (objectives, basic policies, priority issues, and priority regions). The Charter stipulates that Japan's ODA will be provided by comprehensively taking into account the developing countries' need for assistance, socio-economic conditions, and Japan's bilateral relations with the recipient country. It also states that ODA will be provided in accordance with the principles of the United Nations (especially sovereign equality and non-intervention in domestic matters), as well as the following points:
(1) Environmental conservation and development should be pursued in tandem.
(2) Any use of ODA for military purposes or for aggravation of international conflicts should be avoided.
(3) Full attention should be paid to trends in recipient countries' military expenditures, development and production of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), etc.
(4) Full attention should be paid to efforts for promoting democratization and the introduction of a market-oriented economy, and the situation regarding the protection of basic human rights and freedoms in the recipient country.
In the event of specific operation of the principle of ODA implementation, it is vital that judgments are made not by mechanically adhering to a series of set standards, but by comprehensive evaluation on a case-by-case basis that considers the various conditions in the recipient country, such as the background of the need for ODA and past conditions of the country.
In addition, when applying the principle of ODA implementation, humanitarian considerations for the people in the developing country must also be taken into account. In the event that ODA is suspended or minimized according to the principle of ODA implementation, it is the ordinary people of the developing country in question that will suffer the most serious impact, in particular the impoverished people. Consequently, even in cases in which it has been decided to suspend or minimize ODA, it is necessary to combine such judgment with measures that give special consideration to the implementation of emergency or humanitarian assistance.
Furthermore, Japan has actively contributed to peacebuilding through ODA in recent years. Given that materials provided through ODA by Japan must not be used for military purposes, it is also necessary that the principle of ODA implementation should be considered when ODA is provided for peacebuilding activities. This point is also confirmed in the new Medium-Term Policy on ODA, which advocates the implementation of assistance to strengthen law and order and prevent the recurrence of conflict in compliance with the ODA Charter.
The principle of ODA implementation laid out in the ODA Charter should be adhered to in all forms of ODA. Specific examples in which conflicts with the principle have arisen are as follows: