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Celebrating International Women’s Day: Planning Cities of the Future in Developing Countries

March 8 is International Women’s Day, designated by the United Nations. Three women active on the frontlines of urban development as JICA staff and at a consultancy discuss the nature and rewards of their work.

JICA and JAXA: Co-Creation Expands the Possibilities of “Space Technology’s Contribution to Development Cooperation”

April 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of a partnership agreement signed by JICA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). JAXA’s Nakamura Takehiro and JICA’s Takatoi Shunsuke discuss what this partnership has yielded in development cooperation and space technology, and what they see for the future.

Japan’s Maternal and Child Health Handbooks: Making Waves from Indonesia to the World

In 1993, Indonesia became one of the first countries receiving support from JICA to introduce the Maternal and Child Health Handbook. Other countries are now learning from Indonesia’s experience in order to improve their own MCH systems.

Preventing Disasters: the Philippines’ and Japan’s Collaborative Approach

Both Japan and the Philippines are disaster-prone nations. JICA has worked with the Philippines to address flood risk management for 50 years.

Latin America and the Caribbean: JICA Working with Startups to Address Social Challenges

Home to approximately 650 million people, the Latin America and Caribbean region is one of the world’s biggest food producing areas and has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years. At the same time, it confronts a number of major challenges, including deforestation, social inequality, and high rates of crime.

Protracted and Complex Refugee Challenges: The Roles of Development Agencies

The term “refugee” has been showing up more frequently in the news, due to the increasing number of humanitarian crises, notably the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine. There has been an increase in the number of refugees as a result of these protracted conflicts and political instability, and factors such as climate change are making the crisis even more complex and severe. At the second Global Refugee Forum (GRF) held in December 2023, JICA President Tanaka Akihiko called for the further expansion of cooperation among humanitarian assistance, development cooperation, and peace efforts. This article will consider these increasingly protracted and complex refugee challenges and future directions for cooperation.

[TICAD at 30] Co-creating Africa’s future: Interview with UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa

Through TICAD, Japan has been cooperating with various organizations to boost development in Africa. Particularly, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supported the TICAD process for many years. JICA interviewed Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, about the current challenges facing Africa, the efforts made so far through the TICAD process, and her vision for Africa's future.

[2 Years Since the Tonga Eruption] The People of Tonga Overcome the Double Blow of a Tsunami and COVID-19

In January 2022, a large-scale eruption of an underwater volcano occurred near Tonga. Not only did 80 percent of the population suffer damage from the resultant tsunami and ash-fall, but COVID-19, which had previously been contained, spread throughout the country, causing even more suffering. Today, two years after the double disaster, Tonga is progressing along a path of recovery and reconstruction with aid from various countries, including Japan. JICA is continuing to collaborate in strengthening Tonga’s capabilities for disaster risk reduction, something that the agency was engaged in even before the disaster. Meanwhile, three Tongan JICA training participants, who continued their studies of disaster risk reduction online despite the adversities of the volcanic eruption and COVID-19, managed to visit Japan in August 2023. They spoke of the suffering they endured, how they were able to continue their training, and their thoughts on the recovery and reconstruction back home.

Foreign Minister’s Commendations Awarding Ceremony for Returning JOCV, Attended by 70 Volunteers

[ASEAN-Japan Special 3] The Challenges of Connectivity as Seen from the Southern Economic Corridor

This is the third in a special series of articles to commemorate the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. The series is meant to reflect on the trust and development that Japan and JICA have built with ASEAN and the future of their partnership. In this article, we will focus on the connectivity that is crucial for the development of ASEAN as a unified region, and its growth along with that of Japan. JICA staff and others traveled along the Southern Economic Corridor, a major economic artery that connects the countries of ASEAN, exploring the current state of connectivity and the challenges that must be addressed to strengthen it.

[ASEAN-Japan Special 2] Taking on Common Challenges! Addressing Population Aging in Thailand and Sustainable Resource Use in Malaysia

ASEAN and Japan share common challenges, including population aging and the sustainable use of resources.

[ASEAN-Japan Special 1] 50 Years of Partnership: Interview with Hayakawa Yuho of the Southeast Asia and Pacific Department

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Japan’s friendship and cooperation with the ASEAN. Hayakawa Yuho, director general of JICA’s Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, reflects on how Japan and JICA worked with ASEAN to build trust and promote growth over the past half century and offers his vision for the future of the partnership.