Operational Focus Areas

In light of the recent international situation, JICA will contribute to realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific while playing the primary role in Japan’s development cooperation as an implementing agency of ODA.

While considering the geopolitical characteristics of each region, specific focus will be placed on a number of issues, including (1) cultivating human resources who share universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law; (2) investing in quality infrastructure that helps enhance connectivity; (3) strengthening governance and developing legal and regulatory frameworks; (4) developing maritime law enforcement capacity; and (5) coping with emerging threats, including those to cybersecurity.

JICA will continue with the JICA Development Studies Program, a program it has been conducting since the 4th Medium-term Plan period as part of its partnerships with universities. By sharing Japan’s unique development experience as well as its experience as a donor through this and other programs, JICA will contribute to cultivating future leaders who can foster a long-lasting bilateral relationship between each country and Japan as well as to deepening trust relationships between Japan and developing areas.

Climate change poses a substantial threat to human security and realization of sustainable socioeconomic conditions. It is considered that its effects include not only more frequent and more severe disasters but also rising sea levels, the spread of tropical diseases, depletion of water resources, and damage to food production. In particular, developing countries with fragile socioeconomic foundations are expected to suffer most severely.

Regarding climate action as a top management priority, JICA will stand by developing countries and support them in making a smooth transition to decarbonization and building societies resilient to climate change.

Actors other than the central government, such as private companies, local governments, and NGOs, also play important roles in cooperation with developing countries. JICA will work more closely with these actors.

JICA will also contribute to the overseas business expansion of Japanese private companies by supporting efforts to resolve developing issues with the use of Japanese technology. JICA will further utilize expertise gained and networks developed from its activities in developing countries to make appropriate contributions toward accepting foreign workers and coexisting with them in Japan.

JICA’s long-standing development cooperation approaches that respect developing countries’ ownership, and the practice of equal partnership between developing countries and Japan, enhance development effectiveness and strengthen developing countries’ trust toward Japan. JICA reaffirms this fact and will continue to apply these approaches.

In fiscal 2021, JICA formulated the JICA Global Agenda, a set of operational strategies that specify medium- and long-term objectives, intended outcomes, and the priority of actions for each of the challenges it identifies as a global issue. Against the backdrop of growing interest in the SDGs, the range of development agents is expanding to include companies of various types, including startups, as well as research institutions and civil society organizations. By promoting this agenda, JICA aims to further enhance its development effectiveness in collaboration and co-creation with a broad range of development partners.

JICA has been working to promote gender equality. Under the 5th Medium-term Plan, by mainstreaming gender issues, JICA will continue to help create an equitable and diversity-respecting society in which everyone can fulfill his or her potential with dignity as a human being. In its organizational management, JICA will respect diversity in various aspects, including gender. It will also promote diverse work styles and improve the environment for employee growth and development.

In order to realize an inclusive and diverse society, construct free and safe cyberspace, and secure an operational implementation system and effective operation in the post–COVID-19, JICA will promote the use of innovative technologies, including digitization in both projects and organizational management, and improvement in the environment for using these technologies.

Through its projects, JICA will try to increase development impacts by creating new value through the use of digital technology and data. JICA will proactively promote improvement in the quality of operations in its organizational management by improving and speeding up business processes, securing and developing human resources with expertise, and optimally allocating management resources.