Tokyo Center

Acceptance of Technical Training Participants

Under these programs, future leaders in the nation-building efforts of developing countries are invited to Japan as technical training participants to acquire techniques and knowledge that will support them in configuring systems upon their return. JICA first accepted technical training participants in 1954 when Japan joined the Colombo Plan (see note), kicking off the country's first official development assistance. Sixteen participants were brought to Japan from Asia as bilateral bases.

Today, JICA as a whole accepts some 11,500 participants annually from developing countries all over the world. These are personnel working in a diverse range of sectors, including development planning, governmental administration, public works, transportation, social infrastructure, information and communications, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining, trade, tourism, capacity development, health, social security, and more.

About 35% of all participants that JICA accepts, some 4,000 participants a year, participate in the courses offered by JICA Tokyo, making us the largest JICA center in Japan.

One of the distinctive features of the training courses offered by JICA Tokyo is that they are carried out in collaboration with a variety of organizations and institutions based in the Tokyo metropolitan area, certainly the various ministries, but also government agencies as well as private organizations and institutions. For this reason, many of our training courses deal with policy planning, creating legal frameworks, and project formulation/execution in developing countries. The capital also offers a diverse array of training sites, which gives JICA Tokyo the advantage of being able to cover a wide range of development issues, from governance and private-sector development to health, transportation, the environment, water resources, disaster management, education, social services, and more.

Note: About the Colombo Plan

The Colombo Plan was an international cooperation organization that was launched by the Commonwealth Conference of Foreign Ministers in Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) in 1950. It was established to improve standards of living by promoting social and economic development in Southern and Southeast Asia, primarily through technical cooperation.

Acceptance of Technical Training Participants: Activity Cycle

1. Briefing and General Orientation

After arriving in Japan and before beginning training in their individual fields of expertise, participants are given an explanation of the training system, including remuneration, status, and various administrative procedures.

Briefing

Participants are given information on important considerations to keep in mind during their stay in Japan.

General Orientation

Participants are given basic information on Japanese culture, society, economy, history, and so on to facilitate their understanding of Japan.

2. Training

Participants then participate in training courses in their individual areas of expertise. JICA offers these courses in a variety of formats, including lectures, practical training, observations, and more. Courses are designed not only to share knowledge and techniques with the participants, but also to have them develop a better understanding of each other's countries as well.

3. Evaluation Meeting and Closing Ceremony

Once the training is complete, an evaluation meeting is held so that participants can share their feedback on the course in terms of what was useful and possible improvement for the following year. In this way, JICA is constantly striving to offer training programs that are in line with the actual needs of developing countries and follow international cooperation trends. Those who complete their training are presented with a Certificate from JICA.

4. Post-Return

Upon their return, participants are expected to make use of the knowledge and techniques they learned in Japan and play significant roles in the social and economic development of their home countries. In addition many countries have alumni organizations for training returnees.