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access: 10min. walk from Ichigaya Station, JR Chuo/Sobu Line 10min. walk from Ichigaya Station Exit A1, Tokyo Toei Shinjuku Line 8 min. walk from Ichigaya Station Exit 6, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho/Nanboku Line

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TEL: 03-3269-2911
FAX: 03-3269-2054

Monthly Highlights of Research Activities: Celebrating 60 Years of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers in 2025!

2025.11.17

Photo: JICA/ Shinichi Kuno

In 1965, the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) program began with the dispatch of 29 volunteers to five countries: Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Kenya. Now, in 2025, the program marks its 60th anniversary. As of December 2024, the total number of countries served has reached 99, with over 57,000 volunteers dispatched. The program’s achievements have been recognized internationally, including receiving the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award—often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize—in 2016.

In recent years, JICA has placed greater emphasis on post-return contributions by volunteers, strengthening partnerships with local governments, collaborating with Local Vitalization Cooperators , and supporting social entrepreneurship aimed at solving societal challenges.

The JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development has published a Project History series, which analyzes JICA’s past initiatives and presents them as fact-based narratives. Some volumes from this Japanese book series have been translated into English and local languages, and even adapted into English-language manga. Among these, we introduce books that feature JOCVs and the achievements of former volunteers.

‘A New Style of Physical Education’ for a Brighter Future for Children: An Innovative Change in Cambodia by Friends Brought Together by Physical Education (Khmer version)

This book chronicles nearly 20 years of efforts by the NPO Heart of Gold to promote a new style of physical education across Cambodia—from primary school to college level. It also features the voices of passionate Cambodian educators and JOCV members who worked together to drive this transformation.

Click here for details.

‘Regional Revitalization in Japan Brought About by Bangladeshi IT Professionals: A New Form of International Cooperation Connected From Volunteers to Industry, Government and Academia’ Is Now Available As a Comic Book

JOCVs who were sent to Bangladesh started a movement for human capacity building in IT fields. This developed into a technical cooperation project by JICA which then led to the introduction of a national qualification system to Bangladesh in 2014.

Click here for details.

A Memoir of a Japanese Development Practitioner: In Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Oizumi Yasumasa—a former JOCV who later served as a JICA expert in Srebrenica—questioned the prevailing assumption within the international community that the Bosnian Muslims were solely victims and Serbs were solely perpetrators. Recognizing that assistance to only Bosniak residents would never foster ethnic reconciliation, he worked tirelessly as a catalyst, striving to bring the two communities closer together.

Click here for details.

The JICA Ogata Research Institute also conducts research on JOCVs and international volunteer programs. Here are some highlights:

Book | State-Managed International Voluntary Service: The Case of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers

This Open Access book addresses the contributions by JOCVs and the advantages and disadvantages of the JOCV program, proposing a concept of state-managed international voluntary services (SMIVS). The book argues that owing to state management JOCVs can affect both downstream and upstream benefits, while state management gives JOCVs advantages and disadvantages. In a broader perspective, it explores the significance and possibilities that SMIVS has.

Click here for details.

Researcher Interview | Exploring the Achievements and Significance of JICA Volunteers from the Perspective of Social Psychology: An Interview With Onuki Mayuko of Waseda University

We interviewed Onuki Mayuko, assistant professor at Waseda University, who brings a fresh perspective to JOCV research through social psychology. She shares her motivations and insights gained through her research.