Japan’s total ODA in 2019 Note 5 was approximately $15,587.66 million (approximately ¥1,699.8 billion) according to the Grant Equivalent System (GE system) Note 6 introduced from 2018. Gross ODA disbursements amounted to approximately $18,919.77 million (approximately ¥2,063.1 billion), which was an approximate 9.7% increase on a dollar basis compared to the previous year (2018) (an approximate 8.3% increase on a yen basis). As a result, among the members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Japan ranked fourth Note 7 following the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom in terms of both the GE system and gross disbursements.

The breakdown is as follows. Under the GE system, bilateral ODA accounted for approximately 75.7% of overall disbursements, while ODA to international organizations accounted for approximately 24.3%. In terms of gross disbursements, bilateral ODA accounted for approximately 77.6% of overall disbursements, while ODA to international organizations accounted for approximately 22.4%. Bilateral ODA is expected to contribute to the strengthening of Japan’s relations with recipient countries. Meanwhile, ODA to international organizations that have expertise and political neutrality enables Japan to support countries and regions where its direct bilateral assistance is difficult to reach. Japan will actively provide aid that ensures the “visibility of Japan,” while making flexible use of the above types of assistance and coordinating between them.

As regards gross disbursements of bilateral ODA by aid scheme, the disbursements for bilateral ODA calculated as grant aid totaled approximately $2,555.99 million (¥278.7 billion), or approximately 13.5% of the total ODA gross disbursements. Among these grants, grant aid through international organizations accounted for approximately $1,160.34 million (¥126.5 billion), or approximately 6.1% of total ODA. Technical cooperation accounted for approximately $2,722.11 million (¥296.8 billion), or approximately 14.4% of total ODA. With regard to government loans, loan disbursements accounted for approximately $9,398.92 million (¥1,024.9 billion), or approximately 49.7% of total ODA. As for the grant equivalent of government loans, the total was approximately $6,515.53 million (¥710.5 billion).

Japan’s bilateral ODA disbursements (including support for graduated countries) by region are as follows. They are in the order of gross disbursements (percentage out of the total disbursements). (See Chart I-2 and Chart III-1 for details.)

◆Asia: $8,972.14 million (61.1%)

◆Middle East and North Africa: $1,511.28 million (10.3%)

◆Sub-Saharan Africa: $1,553.46 million (10.6%)

◆Latin America and the Caribbean: $412.83 million (2.8%)

◆Oceania: $221.04 million (1.5%)

◆ Europe: $77.02 million (0.5%)

◆Assistance covering multiple regions: $1,934.83 million (13.2%)

1. Note 5: DAC Statistics final figures for disbursements in 2020 are to be published at the end of 2021.
2. Note 6: The GE system records the amount of a loan aid equivalent to a grant as an actual ODA disbursement. The grant equivalent is calculated by applying the terms of the loan, such as the amount of loan provided, interest rate, and repayment period, to a formula. The more concessional the terms of the loan are, the larger the grant equivalent is. This system measures Japan’s actual loan aid more accurately compared to the net flow system, which was the standard previously used by the DAC (the full amount of the loan is recorded; on the other hand, repaid amounts are counted as negative).
3. Note 7 : Excluding assistance for graduated countries. See “Reference Statistics 2(1): Official Development Assistance by Type of Assistance and Currency (2019),” for details regarding disbursement amounts including graduated countries.

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