A Western Critique of Japan’s Development Aid

Abstract

This remark, addressed to Americans in 1989, contains some general truth. Contacts and exchanges have increased, but there are still many misunderstandings between Japan and the West. In Europe, for instance, it is generally assumed that Japan’s economic successes are being achieved at the expense of Japanese workers’ living standards; yet Japan topped the list of countries in the Human Development Reports of 1990 and 1991 which put Japanese quality of life before that of the Swiss or Scandinavians. Likewise, our perception of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) may stand in need of correction.

“Japan’s economy is changing, but your complaints don’t.”

Saburo Okita