There is an increasing need to respond to problems arising from urbanization as a result of rapid economic development in developing countries, not only in metropolitan areas but also in regional cities, concerning water, energy, waste disposal, urban transportation, and anti-pollution, among others. Against this backdrop, Japanese local governments with a track record of various public service experiences can play a most valuable role in international development efforts and respond to the various needs of developing countries in a highly tailored manner. The involvement of Japanese local governments will also contribute to the development of future professionals in international cooperation and talents of global services. For this reason, the Government of Japan promotes the participation of Japanese local governments in ODA projects. Moreover, the local governments are proactively committed to scaling up their Japanese initiatives overseas, including on behalf of businesses in their localities, in order to revitalize their economy and to support their internationalization (see the MOFA websiteNote 12 “support for overseas cooperation of local public entities through ODA,” and “Stories from the Field 4” for specific examples).

In addition, 15 JICA offices across Japan function as a “nexus between Japanese local communities and developing countries” by providing information on international cooperation to various local actors, such as citizens, NGOs, local governments, and the private sector, and undertake a variety of projects based on the strengths of those localities.

1. Note 12: Support for overseas cooperation of local public entities through ODA https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/oda/about/page23_000707.html (in Japanese only)

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