Japan, the sleeping partner of foreign aid awakens

Tokyo

DURING much of the postwar period Japan has been a kind of "sleeping partner" on the foreign aid scene, providing liberal amounts of money, but not having a very active role in deciding how or where that money should be spent. All this is changing now and the implications are far-reaching.

Under the new Development Cooperation Charter - or Official Development Assistance (ODA) Charter to use its full title - formally approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet on Feb 10, Japan's aid policy becomes more directed, comprehensive and to some extent politicised.