Asia-Pacific

Govt to Utilize ODA for Ensuring Economic Security; Securing Energy, Critical Minerals Sought

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Foreign Ministry in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, March 8, 2026

The government will utilize its official development assistance and other support frameworks to bolster the country’s economic security, according to a draft white paper to be published by the Foreign Ministry soon.

The move is aimed at strengthening Japan’s economic security through such means as securing energy and critical minerals.

To accomplish that goal, the draft White Paper on Development Cooperation clearly states that the government intends to utilize its “Co-creation for common agenda initiative” — through which Japan offers other nations a selection of support — and frameworks that facilitate private-sector investments.

According to the draft, ODA will be defined as an important tool for Japanese diplomacy, one that enhances Japan’s presence in the international community. The draft also expresses a policy of further promoting a free and open Indo Pacific by strengthening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

In addition, the draft expresses concern about debt-trap diplomacy, in which a country or other entity provides a developing country with excessive loans beyond its ability to repay in order to influence it. The draft suggests that “the international community should act as a whole” to address the problem.

One prime example of debt-trap diplomacy took place in Sri Lanka. The country ended up selling the operation rights of its Hambantota Port to a Chinese company for a period of ninety-nine years. Sri Lanka had received massive loans from China and was unable to repay the debt.

In 2024, about ¥2.49 trillion ($16.493 billion) was spent through ODA, down 15.9% from the previous year. That figure put Japan fourth among the 32 member countries of the Development Assistance Committee under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, behind the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, marking the country’s first drop in rank in four years.