Japan has released a booklet publicizing its official development assistance (ODA) in collaboration with a popular Japanese overseas travel guide series.
In partnership with the Globe-Trotter Travel Guidebook, known as “Chikyu no Arukikata” in Japanese, the Foreign Ministry published the booklet, hoping to encourage visits to project sites to foster greater interest in and understanding of ODA.
The 12-page booklet, available in Japanese on the ministry’s website, covers five countries — Vietnam, Laos, Egypt, Peru and Romania.
The booklet shows bridges and railways built with Japanese ODA, as well as World Heritage Sites preserved and restored with such support, using photographs and illustrations to help readers understand Japan’s international contributions.
The pages on Vietnam and Laos feature a 12-day itinerary to visit ODA sites to demonstrate how Japanese efforts, ranging from cityscape preservation to airport infrastructure development, support local communities.
Additionally, the booklet includes a section highlighting how ministry officials involved in ODA projects spend a typical workday. It will be distributed at events cohosted by the ministry and other occasions.
This initiative reflects a recent increase in critical public sentiment toward spending taxpayers’ money on ODA given current economic conditions.
“By collaborating with Chikyu no Arukikata, we can convey information from a different perspective that ODA is an important diplomatic tool,” a ministry official said.
“We made the booklet so that readers would understand how ODA contributes to the international community, even without visiting the sites,” the official added.
AloJapan.com