Laos' Thongsing meets with Abe, vows to deepen ties with Japan
The visiting prime minister of Laos pledged on Friday to further develop bilateral ties with Japan amid increasing interest from Japanese companies. The two nations established diplomatic relations 60 years ago. "Friendly and cooperative bilateral relations have continued to develop and bear fruit in various fields," ...
Japan adopts new aid policy, may aid foreign militaries
The Abe government approves new guidelines for foreign aid, stipulating for the first time that Japan can fund foreign military forces, although the assistance must be for "nonmilitary purposes."
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 provided the aid is used for nonmilitary purposes such as assistance in times of disaster.
The Abe administration plans to introduce new ODA guidelines that will pave the way for aid to armed forces of other nations.
Japan and Caribbean nations agree to cooperate on UNSC reform
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his counterparts from Caribbean nations agreed Saturday in Tokyo to bolster cooperation in pushing for reform of the U.N. Security Council next year, the 70th anniversary of the global body's founding. Kishida also promised the foreign ministers of the Caribbean ...
Consultants plead guilty to bribing Asian officials over ODA
The former president of a Tokyo-based consulting firm and two others connected with the company pleaded guilty on Wednesday to bribing officials in Vietnam, Indonesia and Uzbekistan to gain favor for Japanese-funded railway projects in those countries. Tamio Kakinuma, 65, and the others, former executive ...
Japan working with foreign coast guards for safer seas
When Japan makes its case for the rule of law and tries to ensure maritime security, the spotlight often falls on its Self-Defense Forces, an "armed organization" whose use of force is strictly limited under the pacifist Constitution. But no less important is the Japan ...
Japan should expand its use of overseas development assistance by targeting new regions and projects and consider funding noncombat operations led by foreign military forces, a panel said Thursday in a report to Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. If the recommendations are accepted in the upcoming ...
Abe looks to put his stamp on foreign aid
Next up for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe? Figuring out how to put official development assistance (ODA) to "strategic" use so the international aid program can help Japan make a more "proactive contribution" to world peace, one of Abe's pet policy goals. Since the program was ...
Japan told the Vietnamese government Monday it would suspend official development assistance over bribery allegations surrounding a Japan-funded Hanoi urban railway project, the embassy in Hanoi said. Specifically, loans for the first phase of constructing the project's No. 1 railway line will be frozen, the ...
JICA said funding Myanmar evictions
Villagers from Myanmar visit the Japan International Cooperation Agency to demand a probe into its decision to fund an industrial project that is costing them their homes.
