Japan’s Efforts toward the Post-COVID-19 Era
Japan provides a variety of support around the world including in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa toward the post-COVID-19 era. This section introduces some of Japan’s efforts.
Environment and Energy, SDGs Business
Niger and Senegal
ABE Initiative Participants Become a “Bridge” for Business with West Africa
In Niger, an ABE Initiative participant started his own business after returning to his home country. As a local partner of Tsujiplastics Co., Ltd. (Shiga Prefecture), where he had undertaken his internship, he started an electricity charging service using solar chargers developed by the company. In Senegal, another ex-participant started a business as a local partner of the company after returning home as well. He conducts a survey on an irrigation system that utilizes a solar power system.
Health and Medical Care
ASEAN
ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF))
Japan provides continuous support to develop the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases into an institution that protects people from the threat of infectious diseases as a regional hub for public health emergencies and emerging diseases. The ASEAN member states have expressed great appreciation and expectations for the Centre and Japan’s support.
Digital Transformation (DX), Health and Medical Care
Bhutan
Improvement of Maternal and Child Health through the Introduction of Mobile Cardiotocography Equipment Made in Japan
In collaboration with JICA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 55 Mobile Cardiotocography devices from Melody International Ltd., Japan, (Kagawa Prefecture) were supplied to medical institutions throughout Bhutan. This support has improved access to medical services for pregnant women in rural areas and is highly valued as telemedicine equipment in Bhutan.
Health and Medical Care
Gabon
Project for Establishment of Laboratory Surveillance System for Viral Diseases of Public Health Concern
Collaborative research was conducted by Gabon and Japan for the control of known and unidentified infectious diseases. The research center of Gabon has greatly contributed on the frontlines of COVID-19 measures, including administering approximately 5,000 PCR tests per month and identifying variants at an early stage.
Digital Transformation (DX), Food Security, and Support for Smallholders
Zambia
Market-Oriented Rice Development Project (SHEP approach)*1
Under the leadership of young JICA experts and young officials from the Ministry of Agriculture of Zambia, this project promotes “rice production as a business” by spreading the Market-Oriented Rice Farming Model in order to increase smallholders’ incomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, technical guidance was provided online from Japan, reaching a total of approximately 2,000 farmers.
Health and Medical Care
Viet Nam
The Project for Improvement of Hospital Management Competency
As a result of Japan’s cooperation over many years, Cho Ray Hospital has played a central role, including accepting the first patient infected with COVID-19 in Viet Nam. Japan continues to support Viet Nam to improve its medical system in the medium to long-term.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), ICT
Palau
Fiber Optic Submarine Cable Project (Co-finance of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC))
Under the Trilateral Partnership for Infrastructure Investment in the Indo-Pacific*2 among Japan, the United States, and Australia, the project strengthens Palau’s telecommunication infrastructure through financing for the purchase of a fiber optic cable and improves the investment environment. Japan provides co-financing through a public-private partnership as an all-Japan initiative.
Environment and Energy
Mexico
Co-finance to Photovoltaic Power Generation Projects (Private Sector Investment Finance)
As JICA’s first loan project under the Green Loan Principles, *3 this project supports photovoltaic power generation projects in Mexico, contributing to decarbonization and mitigation of climate change impacts.
Digital Transformation (DX), Quality Education, and STEM
Cambodia
Business Verification Survey with the Private Sector for Improving STEM*4 Ability in Primary Education by Utilizing “Think!Think!” App
While schools were closed due to COVID-19, free online classes using an app by WonderLab Inc. (Tokyo) were streamed on the Facebook and YouTube accounts of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia as well as its state-run channel. This received a great response from children, and has become popular educational material that everyone knows in the country.
Human Resources Development, Triangular Cooperation
Angola and Brazil
Toyota de Angola Academy
Brazilian experts from Brazil’s National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI), where JICA has provided technical cooperation for more than half a century, were dispatched to Angola as part of triangular cooperation in Portuguese-speaking countries. This is a new form of cooperation conducted in collaboration with the Toyota de Angola Academy, which was established by Toyota de Angola for the purpose of training instructors in automobile maintenance.
- *1 See the glossary.
- *2 A memorandum of understanding signed in 2018 between JBIC, the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC; currently the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and Australia’s Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (currently Export Finance Australia (EFA)).
- *3 Green Loans are loans that are limited for use in environmentally conscious projects. Against the backdrop of the expansion of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments, the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association formulated the Green Loan Principles as standard guidelines for green loans. The latest version was released in February 2021.
- *4 An acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.