Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said Friday he has instructed his ministry to review Japan's official development assistance, including a possible sharp cut in aid to China, itself a donor and the world's second-biggest economy.
"I have instructed a substantial review of our ODA policy on countries including China in light of (Japan's) very severe economic situation and the significant changes in the national strength of countries in relation to their economic growth," Maehara told the Upper House Budget Committee.
"With China overtaking Japan in terms of gross domestic product . . . it is completely inconceivable for Japan, which has been outranked, to increase its ODA," he said.