An Oral History of Development Cooperation Experiences of Japan and its Partners

This Open Access book offers a comprehensive oral history of Japan’s development cooperation, based on nearly 300 interview narratives collected in Indonesia, Chile, Tanzania, Malaysia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Jordan, Brazil, Cambodia, and Japan. Unlike most books on development cooperation, which are written from the perspective of aid providers, this book gives voice to local actors – referred to as ‘counterparts’ – in aid recipient countries. In an era of geopolitical polarisation and parochialism, the book compellingly presents alternative ways of development cooperation founded on mutually respectful relationships between foreign experts and their partners. The case studies cover primary and manufacturing industries, infrastructure, education, health, migration, environmental sustainability, and peace. The book invites readers to rethink how development cooperation can be reimagined in our divided world.