Reform of Japan’s official development assistance: a complete overhaul or merely a fresh coat of paint?

Abstract

Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) programme, the world’s second largest, is best known for its funding of large-scale infrastructure projects. However, the aid programme has been undergoing a process of reform and more progressive aid projects are emerging. The paper concludes that although an increase in the number of such projects can be expected, large-scale infrastructure projects will remain the centrepiece of Japan’s aid programme.

Keywords

evaluation Japan ODA participation Philippines politics

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