Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday ahead of a weeklong visit to ASEAN countries that he hopes to make the contents of Japan's official development assistance qualitative. The government plans to slash its ODA budget by 10 percent in fiscal 2002.
"Japan faces severe financial conditions," Koizumi said at his Official Residence, responding to a question about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' apprehensions over Japan's planned ODA cuts. "I want ODA to have meaty contents."
Koizumi, scheduled to begin a weeklong visit to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand on Sunday, is expected to explain Japan's financial aid intentions during the trip.
The Koizumi government, which adopted a budgetary request framework in August that reduces the ODA budget by 10 percent beginning next fiscal year, is considering keeping the amount of grants intact while slashing loans, government sources said.
In Singapore, Koizumi is scheduled to give a speech focusing on Japan's Southeast Asia policy. He said outlines of the speech have already been set.
Koizumi's trip will be his first in Asia since taking office in late April. He will return to Tokyo on Sept. 22.