Japan’s Development Cooperation Charter
News:
Japan has approved a major revision of its Development Cooperation Charter.
What:
- The Development Cooperation Charter is the development aid policy of Japan.
- Recent version’s highlights:
- More focus to paid to:
- Maritime security
- Economic security
- National interests
- Prioritization of addressing:
- Energy crisis
- Food crisis
- Attention also paid to:
- Strengthening supply chain resilience
- Digital transformation
- Stresses on the importance of:
- Working with private sector and civil society
- Bringing in new funding
- Setting international rules and guidelines based on:
- Transparency
- Inclusiveness
- Fairness
- More focus to paid to:
Why:
- To guide Japan’s undertakings to help developing nations overcome several challenges, especially considering China’s growing global influence.
How:
- Focus on non-military cooperation, while keeping human security as ‘a guiding principle’.
When:
- Updated once every 10 years.
- Last updated in 2015.
Facts:
- In December 2022, Japan adopted a new National Security Strategy.
- The goal to doubling its defence spending to $310 billion over the next 5 years.
- Launch of Official Security Assistance/ OSA for developing nations’ militaries, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Given the tight fiscal conditions, Japan is looking to use its development aid more strategically and effectively.
