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.

It also becomes more independent of foreign influence and allows for aid to be modelled and implemented more in accordance with the "Japanese way". By widening the scope o…