Foreign Ministry Panel Aims to Improve Development Aid Offered by Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, March 17, 2026

The Foreign Ministry held the first meeting of an expert panel to discuss the effective use of official development assistance (ODA) on Monday.

Called the “expert panel on the implementation framework for strategic development cooperation,” the panel will discuss measures to strengthen the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) — which implements ODA projects — and new approaches to development cooperation. It is scheduled to compile its proposal by this summer.

The panel, established under Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, has 10 members, including experts in development cooperation, finance and other fields. It is chaired by Prof. Koichiro Agata of Waseda University.

Motegi said at the start of the meeting: “The strategic significance of ODA in diplomacy is growing even more. JICA is required to establish an implementation framework that allows for more flexible deployment of development cooperation in coordination with foreign policy.”

During the meeting, participants shared challenges related to ODA and exchanged views on the role of JICA, the central implementing agency.

Private investment in developing countries has increased in recent years, and development needs have expanded from traditional sectors such as agriculture and health to fields such as digital technology, space and critical minerals. The panel will examine strategic and effective ways to utilize ODA in light of these changes in the environment surrounding development cooperation.