Section 2 Initiatives for Quality Growth
The completed Nhật Tân Bridge (Vietnam-Japan Friendship Bridge) in Viet Nam. The bridge will alleviate congestion and improve traffic efficiency across the Hong River in Ha Noi City and contribute to the city's economic development. (Photo: Shinichi Kuno / JICA)
The development of quality infrastructure leads to the improvement of the lives of the people living nearby, and stimulates economic activities inside their country and region, so it is one of the important initiatives for supporting quality growth in each country. Japan has proactively assisted the development of quality infrastructure so that the public and private sectors can work together to achieve quality growth in a form aligned with the economic and development strategies of the respective countries and regions. For example, the Nhật Tân Bridge in Viet Nam which opened in 2015 was built using ODA loans from Japan, and the special technologies possessed by Japanese companies were used when constructing the bridge on soft ground.
The immense demand for infrastructure development continues to exist in each country and region, particularly in Asia, and the assistance for the development aimed at further growth is required. In order to meet this demand, Prime Minister Abe announced the Partnership for Quality Infrastructure in May 2015, and Japan is collaborating with the Asia Development Bank (ADB) to provide “quality infrastructure investment” of approximately $110 billion to Asia over the next five years, and is making efforts to provide more attractive finance for the infrastructure demand in Asia through the improvement of systems for ODA loans and Private-Sector Investment Finance (PSIF).
Moreover, on May 23, 2016 Prime Minister Abe made an announcement of the Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure in which Japan would provide approximately $200 billion to infrastructure demand, not only in Asia but also across the world. Furthermore, it was also mentioned that Japan would further advance the improvement of the systems and the strengthening of the functions of government agencies including JICA which implemented the assistance.
By steadily executing these initiatives, Japan intends to encourage quality growth through the development of quality infrastructure in the international community.
The Matadi Bridge, built with the assistance of Japan in 1983, is the only suspension bridge to cross the Congo River. Although regional conflicts began shortly after its completion, Japanese engineers were successful in transferring the related technologies, demonstrated by the bridge being well maintained for over 30 years since its completion. It is a symbol of friendship between Japan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Photo: Shinichi Kuno / JICA)