2. Efforts for Spreading Awareness of Development Cooperation
(1) Efforts for Information Disclosure and Promoting Public Understanding and Support
In order to deepen the public understanding and support for development cooperation, the Government of Japan is proactively engaged in encouraging discussion and dialogue on development cooperation, promoting development education, and disclosing and disseminating information regarding the current status of development cooperation. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has strengthened its efforts as follows, based on one of the aforementioned recommendations of the Advisory Board for ODA, “Improve Japanese citizens’ understanding and recognition of ODA.”
A. Strengthening public relations, information disclosure, and information dissemination
Official ODA PR character “ODA-Man”
MOFA and JICA are striving to release and disseminate accurate information by linking to each other’s ODA-related websites Note 13. MOFA also publishes an ODA email newsletterNote 14 , which introduces experiences and episodes from the field of development cooperation by staff members of Japan’s overseas diplomatic missions, JICA, NGOs, international organizations, private companies, and others. MOFA also conducts public relations activities using social media such as Twitter. Moreover, in 2020, MOFA continued to distribute animated video contents, including the series of “Go! ODA-Man” and a simulation game “You can also be ‘ODA-Man’!” using the ODA PR character “ODA-Man” featured in the popular anime “Eagle Talon.” These video contents introduce the role and purpose of ODA as well as development cooperation projects that are currently carried out around the world in an easy-to-understand manner.
Furthermore, one of Japan’s largest international cooperation events called “Global Festa JAPAN” is held every year around the time of International Cooperation Day (October 6), jointly hosted by MOFA, JICA and the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC). Although the event was cancelled in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in its place, they co-hosted the joint international cooperation campaign “EARTH CAMP” online Note 15 in 2020, which was well received.
In order for MOFA to promote a deeper understanding of Japan’s proactive international contribution through ODA, Japanese diplomatic missions disseminate information in each country such as by issuing press releases on the occasion of signing and handover ceremonies of ODA projects. The diplomatic missions also organize site-visit tours of Japan’s development cooperation projects for the local media in order to provide opportunities for them to report on Japan’s development cooperation initiatives. In addition, the diplomatic missions distribute materials such as PR pamphlets and the English version of the White Paper on Development Cooperation to leading government figures, the local media, experts, and others to introduce Japan’s development cooperation, as well as disseminate information in English or local languages via social media, websites, and other sources of information.
B. Information disclosure on implementation and evaluation of ODA
In 2010, the “ODA Mieru-ka Site” Note 16(a website for visualization of ODA) was launched in the JICA website to clearly show the overview and outcome of ODA projects and further enhance public understanding and support for ODA. JICA posts photographs, ex-ante/ex-post evaluations, and other related information about ODA loan, grant aid, and technical cooperation projects out of all projects in the world on the website, and is making efforts to disseminate further ODA-related information.
Likewise, the MOFA website publishes a list of summaries of the specific achievements and lessons from the past projects funded by Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects and Cultural Grant Assistance Projects, including projects which proved to be deficient, in order to promote more effective implementation of ODA.
C. Promotion of development education
In 2020, the ODA Delivery Lecture was also held via videoconference.
MOFA organizes the “ODA Delivery Lecture,” which provides information and explanations about Japan’s international cooperation and ODA by sending Ministry officials as lecturers to junior high and high schools, universities, NGOs, and other organizations in Japan. In order to support development education, JICA provides the “International Cooperation Delivery Lecture,” which sends former Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) and others as lecturers to promote cross-cultural and international understanding by giving talks on their experience and life in developing countries, upon requests from educational and other organizations. JICA also organizes “Visit JICA,” which welcomes visits by students to domestic offices and the showcase facility “JICA Global Plaza.” In addition, JICA conducts the “JICA Essay Contest on International Cooperation for Junior and Senior High School Students.” For teachers, JICA offers training programs such as the “Training Program for Development Education Leaders” and the “Study Tour Program for Teachers,” in which teachers are dispatched to developing countries with the aim of utilizing their overseas experiences for teaching.
D. On-site ODA experience
Providing opportunities for as many people as possible to experience development cooperation sites and see, hear, and understand actual ODA projects is one of the most effective ways to foster understanding of ODA among the Japanese people. For this reason, JICA is striving to support the dispatch of teachers and local public entities’ officials to ODA project sites.
E. Promotion of discussion and dialogue
The Government of Japan is holding information sessions across Japan regarding ODA-related initiatives including assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises through ODA projects. Likewise, lectures and symposiums are held to introduce trends in international cooperation and Japan’s efforts, offering opportunities to engage in dialogue with members of the public who have an interest in how Japan’s foreign policy and ODA should be implemented.
Furthermore, JICA organizes roundtables and lectures with representatives from local industries, government officials, experts, and local university and school staff by utilizing its domestic regional offices. Through these efforts, JICA aims to encourage the sharing of the experience of international cooperation from different regions of Japan, as well as to promote regional revitalization.
- Note 13: Please refer to the following websites:
MOFA’s ODA Website: ODA Website: https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/index.html
JICA: https://www.jica.go.jp/english/index.html
ODA Mieru-ka Site (a website for visualization of ODA): http://www.jica.go.jp/oda (in Japanese only) - Note 14: Back issues of the ODA email newsletter are also available on the MOFA website (https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/oda/mail/bn.html (in Japanese only)).
- Note 15: EARTH CAMP：https://earthcamp.jp/ (in Japanese only)
- Note 16: ODA Mieru-ka Site: https://www.jica.go.jp/oda/ (in Japanese only)