The Abe administration will soon endorse a new basic policy on official development assistance under which Japan may extend aid to the armed forces of developing countries on condition the aid is used for nonmilitary purposes such as assistance in times of disaster.

Even so, there remains the possibility that such aid will be converted to military use or result in enhancing the defense capabilities of recipient countries, which could result in Japan being a party to a conflict overseas.

The administration needs to devise a system in which full transparency on the decisions to provide the aid will be ensured and the actual use of Japan's assistance by the recipients will be strictly monitored.