Local Levels of Participation in Japan's Foreign Aid and Cooperation

Abstract

A BSTRACTThis study will examine the determinants of local Japanese government involvement in decentralized international cooperation by taking an actor-specific approach to three outstanding cases: Shiga Prefecture, Kitakyushu City, and Yokohama City. It will look beneath the aggregate relationships to more qualitative evidence of localized motives for Japanese cooperation with developing countries.

Consensus Building among Multi-stakeholders in Intercity Cooperation: Drivers and Challenges in the Case of Kitakyushu and Davao

“…Past literature revealed that socioeconomic factors, such as exports, foreign residents, and fiscal capacity, are not necessarily major causes to involvement with international Environmental Management and Sustainable Development ISSN 2164-7682 2020 collaboration activities, but there are materialistic motivations to get involved, such as the incentive to environmental-related businesses, and idealistic motivations, such as the environmental protection as a globally shared responsibility (Nakamura et al, 2010). Pioneering, policy learning and innovation, and political leadership were also considered important drivers for successful engagement in international cooperation (Takao, 2014). One example that has merged all of these motivations is Kitakyushu.…”

“…The city was created in 1963, on Kyushu island, by the sea, in a favorable geographical position to exchange with foreign countries. During the first half of the 20th century, Kitakyushu"s steel manufacturing was the main contributor to Japanese economic development and, in the 1960s, it was one of the four largest industrial zones in Japan (Takao, 2014). The city became heavily polluted and, before the general public was aware of all environmental and health damage, the air pollution colors were called "rainbow of smoke", a symbol of progress and economic development (Akagi et al, 2018).…”

“…Kitakyushu"s mothers, under the slogan "We Want Our Blue Sky Back", led campaigns, supported by university professors, to push Kitakyushu private companies and the local government to address the problem. Eventually, the so-called "sea of death" in Dokai Bay was dredged, cost 71% borne by Kitakyushu business sectors and 29% by the municipal government, and a pollution act was enacted (Takao, 2014).…”

“…The experience of partnerships with various sectors of society, with environmental governance and with new environmental technologies and industries granted Kitakyushu a worldwide recognition: the city received a wide range of awards, such as the "Global 500 Award", from United Nations Environment Programme, the "Green Growth City" by OECD"s Green City Program, and the "1st Japan SDGs Award" (Akagi et al, 2018;Takao, 2014). The history of overcoming such serious environmental damage became a reference for cities in developing countries with similar struggles and the first step into the city"s active engagement in international cooperation (Akagi et al, 2018).…”

Local private actors in transnational policy networks: A relational approach to studying policy transfers in Asia

“…This is particularly the case in Japan that partially dispenses policies for export through local governments and private firms (Menju, 1999). While widespread in other regions, such an approach is specially embraced with as "decentralized international cooperation" and "public-private interest coordination" where both local SMEs and local governments, rather than state agents, are deployed to deliver aid to developing countries (Takao, 2014). Outside this development cooperation paradigm, public enterprises have also been involved in the development of cooperation between city governments concerned with technology and knowledge exchange.…”