The Evolution and Degeneration of Japan’s Aid : Determinants of Contributions to International Public Goods

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Other Title
  • 日本の援助の進化と退化 : 国際公共善への貢献を規定するもの
  • ニホン ノ エンジョ ノ シンカ ト タイカ : コクサイ コウキョウ ゼン エ ノ コウケン オ キテイ スル モノ

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Abstract

Inspired by the argument of Esho (1994) that as foreign aid becomes more altruistic, the leading creators of the information required to formulate aid projects change from Japanese private actors to the government, this article aims to clarify what factors have caused this evolution (becoming more altruistic) and degeneration (becoming more selfish) of Japanese aid and how the leading actors of information creation have changed in relation to these aims. As possible causes, the article examines the international political and economic environment, relations with recipient countries, the intellectual situation in Japan and the state of the nation’s economy from the beginning of its foreign aid in the 1950s to developments in the 2010s. On the basis of this historical exploration, the article claims that while the process has been largely reactive, and values and ideas underpinning altruism in Japan’s aid have mostly been weak, there has certainly been an evolution in which the purposes of aid have shifted from Japan’s own industrialization to that of recipient countries and the solution of global issues such as poverty reduction and peace-building. Through this process, leading information creators moved from private businesses to government and public agencies, and an intellectual community of professionals equipped with special knowledge about aid was formed. This community now faces a grave challenge in the form of the momentum to degenerate aid due to rising national particularism.

Journal

  • 経済志林

    経済志林 85 (4), 197-246, 2018-03-23

    法政大学経済学部学会

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