Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2007
Next PageMain Text > Part II ODA RECORD FOR FY2006 > Chapter 2 Details about Japan's Official Development Assistance > Section 2. Measures for Each of the Priority Issues > 1. Sustainable Growth > (2) Policy Formulation and Institution Building
(2) Policy Formulation and Institution Building
<Current Status>
For the objective of sustainable development in developing countries, not only the establishment of economic and social infrastructure, but also the offering of assistance from the perspectives of policy making, institution building, and human resource development are required. The ODA Charter regards human resource development and the establishment of laws and institutions, which are the foundation of development in developing countries, as the prioritized policy. Under this Charter, the Medium-Term Policy on ODA lists, as practical and concrete manners, eradicating corruption, implementing legal and institutional reforms, improving the efficiency and transparency of public administration, and strengthening the administrative capacity of local government.
<Japan's Efforts>
As part of its assistance for institution building, Japan provided Indonesia with a Development Policy Loan (DPL) in March 2007, following a similar loan in the previous year. This DPL was cofinanced with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Japan extended US$100 million while the World Bank extended US$600 million, and ADB US$200 million. The loan is to support the Indonesian government's efforts to carry out reform in the areas of stabilization of the macro-economy, improvement of the investment climate, improvement of public finance management and governance such as anti-corruption, as well as poverty reduction.
Aside from this, Japan takes part in Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) in Tanzania. Japan has made contributions of financing worth ¥500 million, ¥545 million, ¥545 million, and ¥600 million, respectively, from 2004 to 2007 through non-project grant aid. It is necessary to continue with firm control and supervision of the budgetary status following the implementation of this type of support to the budgets of developing countries. Japan carried out a development study in Tanzania with the aim of capacity development for public financial management. Based on Tanzania's policies and the introduced public financial management reform program and its operating provisions, this development study analyzed the activities of the Government's accounting office and its related institutions. It also provided cooperation for things like exploratory human resource development and operational improvements.5
Japan announced the Partnership for Democratic Development (PDD) Initiative during the G7 Lyon Summit in 1996. Japan has heretofore provided cooperation for institution building (legal, administrative, civil service, and police system) and also programs for electoral assistance, in the fields of strengthening civil society, and the empowerment of women. In FY2006, Japan provided support for the development of legal systems principally in Asian countries including China, Mongolia, Cambodia, and Uzbekistan. Similar support was also provided to Kenya in Africa. As for administrative assistance, cooperation was designed to combat corruption, and to improve statistical competence and local administration capacity. Administrative assistance was provided not only to Asian countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, but also to Latin American and Caribbean countries such as Paraguay and Honduras, as well as African countries including Tanzania and Zambia. Japan also implemented various assistance such as for improving police and election systems, strengthening civil society, and expanding the participation of women in politics.
<Various Efforts for Good Governance>
● Support for the Development of Legal Systems
In Viet Nam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, and other countries the development of legal systems is an important issue as they make efforts to introduce market economies. In FY2006, Japan continued to provide assistance to these countries, in drafting and revising bills and enacting laws related to civil codes and civil procedure codes, as well as assistance to cultivate legal professionals. As a result of such support, a code of civil procedure was developed in Viet Nam, which contributed to the country's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January 2007. In Cambodia, the code of civil procedure which was formulated and officially announced in July 2006 has been applied since July 2007, and it is expected that a civil code will be approved by the parliament in 2007. Support was also provided to Cambodia's Royal School for Judges and Prosecutors in order to develop human resources to properly implement the formulated laws. As of the end of FY2006, 55 students from the first session had graduated from the school and are playing an active role.6 In Uzbekistan, support was provided for the publication of a commentary to the Bankruptcy Law in order to standardize the interpretations and applications of the said law. As a result of this, this commentary was published in March 2007.
Also, from October to November 2006 an international training course on corruption control in criminal justice was organized by the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI).7 With the participation of 14 developing countries primarily from Asia, the course offered opportunities to consider problems and countermeasures regarding the current situation of corruption and measures taken in criminal justice.
Opening ceremony for a mock court conducted through Cambodian legal development assistance (Photo: MOJ)
● Support for Improving the Capability of Police
In the area of improving the capability of police agencies that constitute a cornerstone in maintaining domestic order, Japan has been providing assistance based on the achievements and experiences of the Japanese police in the area of international cooperation. It includes the transfer of knowledge and technology with facility development and equipment provision, while priority is being placed on human resources development, including support to build institutions and improve administrative capacity. As part of the Support Program for Reform of Indonesian National Police, Japan has been dispatching experts to Indonesia and also accepting trainees from the country since 2001. The country's national police became independent of the national army in 2000, and the police reform has been undertaken with the aim of consolidating it as a civil police force. To support such endeavors, Japan had so far accepted a total of 200 Indonesian police officers as trainees. The trainees learned the attitude of the Japanese police towards "police for the people," the method of investigating criminal cases, and the technologies used by their crime laboratory, and so on. In addition, Japan has provided equipment as grant aid for wireless communication systems, Koban, and equipment for criminal investigation activities. These moves contributed to the safety of citizens, as the improved wireless network has enabled the authorities to respond quickly to calls from citizens and the technology has been improved in the inspection of drugs based on physical evidence.
In Brazil, Japan continues the technological transfer of the police box system. Specifically, based on requests by the Government of Brazil, Japan dispatches experts to the country and accepts trainees. In 2005, the Community Policing Project for the Federative Republic of Brazil started in the State of Sãn Paolo, in which police boxes were being established and operated, with a view to making the most of the past experiences and enhancing the operation of the police box system. In FY2006 Japan accepted 10 trainees from Brazil to introduce to them local police activities through police stations and boxes in Japan.
Koban (police box) in São Paulo