(3) Assistance for Democratization
Strengthening the foundation for democracy in developing countries leads to the people’s participation in governance and development, and to the protection and promotion of human rights. In this regard, it is a critical component of encouraging medium- to long-term stability and development. In particular, based also on the principles of the Development Cooperation Charter, it is important that Japan actively assists developing countries to take proactive steps towards democratization, and supports their efforts to shift to democratic systems that include electoral assistance.
< Japan’s Efforts >
At the Japan-Cambodia Summit Meeting held in December 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen requested electoral reform assistance to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In response to this request, since May 2014, Japan has undertaken activities, including dispatching a study team to determine the specific assistance needs and identify the concrete scope of the cooperation, and inviting members of the Cambodian ruling and opposition parties to Japan for providing opportunities to observe the House of Representatives elections. At the Japan-Cambodia Summit Meeting held on July 4, 2015, Prime Minister Abe announced that Japan would continue to support Cambodia’s electoral reforms through: (i) Provision of technical advice; (ii) Dispatch of experts; and (iii) Supply of equipment. Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed strong expectations. On this basis, since September 2015, Japan has dispatched experts and initiated concrete activities for electoral reforms.
In other efforts, to support the 2014 Afghan presidential election and other elections, Japan contributed ¥1.639 billion in grant aid for the “Project for Assistance to Presidential and Provincial Council Elections” (through UNDP) to procure and supply the necessary election equipment and help transport this equipment to polling stations across Afghanistan. In December 2014, Japan decided to extend Emergency Grant Aid of approximately $640,000 (approximately ¥76.4 million) through UNDP to support the smooth implementation of the presidential by-election in Zambia. For implementing the Assembly of the Union General Election in Myanmar in November 2015 in a peaceful and calm manner, Japan provided ¥111 million in grant aid for “The Programme for Supporting the 2015 Myanmar General Elections (through UNDP)” to provide supplies necessary for holding the elections. An election observer mission headed by Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, was dispatched to monitor the elections.
These types of assistance are expected to contribute to holding smooth elections in a fair and transparent manner and to consolidating peace and democracy in the recipient countries, along with bringing about the peace and stability of the international community.
| Media Assistance
In many cases, the media is utilized for political purposes in countries affected by conflict around the world. A major challenge for preventing conflict is to foster an impartial, neutral, and accurate media that is not utilized by politicians.
An example is South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and is carrying out nation-building efforts with the assistance of the international community. In a democratic nation-building process, the media plays a pivotal role in informing the latest security situation and sending out messages to prevent and contain the expansion and recurrence of fighting. While there is very much a perception that South Sudan TV and Radio reports mainly on information released by the government as a state-operated broadcaster, preparations are under way to deliver more impartial and accurate information to the people. It is essential that the reports not rely on government information sources, and are based on the broadcaster’s own perspective. In this context, since 2012, Japan has supported the efforts of South Sudan TV and Radio through the “Project for Institutional Capacity Development of South Sudan TV and Radio.” In February to March 2014, in the neighboring country of Kenya, the project conducted training concerning the management structure of public broadcasters, their financing, the role of public broadcasting, and elections reporting, intermixing case studies of Kenya’s public broadcasting and of Japan. Participants listened intently especially to Kenya’s experience of how its broadcaster earned the trust of the people by moving away from government propaganda and disseminating more neutral and impartial information. Japan’s media assistance efforts are expected to strengthen the role of sound media, and in turn, lead to the further stability and growth of South Sudan.