Notes On Japan's Official Development Assistance To Africa

After the war, Japan's ODA, as an important component of its political and economic relations, also served as a tool to strength Japan's influence over the international community and to realize Japan's strategic aim of becoming a major political power. In 1954, after Japan entered into the"Colombo plan", it began to act as an aid country to provide the government aid. In 1989, Japan's exceed United State become the first aid country in world.From early 60'to today, Japan's ODA to Africa has gone over forty year's history. Japan's ODA to Africa is always subject to Japan's state development plan, and is an important component of Japan's diplomatic policy to Africa. From the aid ways, there were two kinds:"the bilateral aid"and"the multilateral aid". In recent years, in Japan's foreign bilateral aid, the Africa country occupied the large scale. In 2006, Africa surpassed Japan's traditional both sides in Asia, situated the first place, Africa was obviously strengthened in Japanese foreign aid policy status. Up to 2007, Japan has already provided the ODA to 50 Africa countries and the local 48 countries.According to the Japan's and the Africa's post-war economic and political developments and changes, Japan's aid to Africa was broadly divided into two stages of practice: from the Second World War to the 1990s and 1990s to today, which also includes five periods in the two stages. Different historical periods, as the focus of Japan's strategy was different, Japan's ODA to Africa is different from the purpose, the aid policy of Africa's development would be adjusted, which affected the relation between Japan and Africa. Specifically, the aim of Japan's ODA to Africa, in the 20th century 60-70 ages the economism was supreme, 70-80 ages the economy and the political benefit were paid equal attention to, in the 90s, the prominent was the political strategy function. In the 21st century the aid serve to the Japan's diplomacy.In the aid process, the important characteristic is grant. The important field in Japan's ODA to Africa, before 1990s the economic aid was important; form1990s to 2000s included the economical, political, and the safe various domain aid. In 2008, the fourth session of Tokyo International Conference on African Development passed"Yokohama Plan of Action", which turned the important field of Japan's ODA to Africa.In the development of Japan–Africa relationship, the changes and adjustments of Japan's ODA to Africa always affected by the different international economical and political climates in different times. It also reflects the ever-changing situation of both Japan and Africa.Japan's ODA to Africa has brought great influence to the bilateral relations in aspects of economy, politics, culture, etc .