Press Releases
Japan’s Return to the OECD Development Centre
1. On June, 2 Mr. Masakazu Hamachi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is attending the Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at Ministerial Level in Paris, held a meeting with Mr. Angel Gurria, Secretary General, OECD, and delivered a letter to Mr. Gurria from Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs. As a result, Japan returned to the OECD Development Centre, effective June 1.
2. Japan joined the Development Centre since the Centre’s founding, but withdrew in 2000 due to issues with the governance and other aspects of the Centre. However, based on the progress that has been seen with improving the Centre’s governance, as well as the increasing number of new countries taking part, Japan recently decided to return to the Centre.
3. As the largest contributor and as an Asian member, Japan will fulfill the role of further strengthening relations between the Development Centre and Asia, along with continuing to support the Development Centre’s activities, such as by contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.