JICA留学生ネットワーキングセミナーにおける冒頭挨拶（2024年12月21日）
2024.12.23
Welcome Remarks at JICA Networking Seminar
To all JICA Scholars, good afternoon.
First of all, on behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, I would like to express my heartfelt welcome to all the young leaders gathered here today. This year, we are welcoming JICA Scholars from 92 countries.
Studying abroad is a life-changing decision and it can leave lasting impacts for the rest of your life. You selected Japan for your studies, and we will do our best so that you feel that you made the right choice.
Conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other areas continue, and disasters and negative impacts from climate change are becoming more apparent globally. As a result, there are various disruptions around the world and human security is under threat. The need for people around the world to work together to address these global challenges has never been greater. JICA has important roles to play, and we need you as our partners to overcome the world's divisions and provide solutions.
This year, we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of Japan’s Official Development Assistance, or ODA. Japan started ODA in 1954, only 9 years after the end of World War II. In order to gain the trust lost due to the war and return to the international community, Japan provided ODA in parallel with the post-war reparations to Asian countries.
Over these 70 years, JICA has expanded its global outreach, and we have worked with ODA recipient countries as equal partners, respecting their ownership and dignity. JICA’s vision, “Leading the World with Trust,” signifies our long-standing tradition and our commitment to building trust between people and countries.
In these 70 years, we have seen many accomplishments of our partners with Japanese ODA. Thailand and Indonesia built the foundation for industrialization. Brazil became one of the world's leading soybean producers. A number of countries improved maternal and child health care by sharing Japan’s experience. India has been building one of the largest subway networks in the world. Looking back our past experience, it is true that the emphasis on human capacity development is our essential philosophy over 70 years.
Japan has prioritized human capacity development since the beginning of its ODA through sending experts to develop human resources in partner countries. In addition, many people from partner countries have participated in capacity development programs in Japan to cultivate knowledge. The accumulation of these small steps in human capacity development has laid solid foundations for bringing major changes in partner countries. Your participation in this program is also part of this long-standing tradition of human capacity development.
Next, I would like to touch upon the JICA Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP). JICA invites future leaders from partner countries to Japan in cooperation with Japanese universities. In addition to your degree program, we offer you opportunities to learn about Japan’s development experiences, which are quite different from those of Europe and the US. You will also be exposed to Japan’s experience as a country that provided development cooperation toward the progress of developing countries after World War II.
For example, we offer a short-term program on Japan’s modernization and development experiences. You may also participate in a short-term program to learn about Japanese local history and development. In addition to the latest technology, knowledge, and emerging innovations, I hope you will learn about the history of Japan's modernization, including the Japan’s successes and failures and the history of ODA. I encourage all of you to take advantage of these programs to learn about Japan's development experiences, and to make use of it as a resource in your future careers.
I am also delighted that JICA Scholars from 92 countries are present at this seminar today. I strongly encourage you to actively expand your network with other JICA Scholars. The networks and friendships you build will broaden your future opportunities and perspectives.
Since 1999, we have received more than 13,000 JICA scholars from over 120 countries. I have visited partner countries almost every month since I took office in 2022. It is always my absolute pleasure to meet with JICA alumni, who are playing important roles in government, business, and academics. They are actively serving as bridges between Japan and respective countries. I am also delighted to see that even in countries that no longer eligible to receive Japan's ODA, former JICA Scholars maintain the networks among alumni, and engage in activities to solve social issues in their local communities.
I firmly believe that the accomplishment of ODA is not only the physical infrastructure developed, but also the human assets and networks that are created through exchange. I hope that you will develop such networks with Japanese and JICA Scholars to build your lifelong assets.
After your studies, you are expected to play a crucial role in nurturing friendly relations and building bridges between your respective countries and Japan. A deep understanding of values and culture, developed through day-to-day personal interactions, is essential for our mutual understanding. You will be able to foster innovation and discover new practical solutions for the complex and urgent issues facing our world during your stay.
Fortunately, next year will be another historic one as the Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka, and as the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 9, will take place in Yokohama. It is a great opportunity for you to start your studies this year, as 2025 will be an important one for international development. In closing, I look forward to your good health, academic achievement, and further success during your stay in Japan.
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