- Policy
- ODA allocation overview
- ODA to and through the multilateral system
- Bilateral ODA
- Geographic, sectoral and thematic focus of ODA
- Private sector instruments
- Mobilised private finance
- Total Official Support for Sustainable Development
- Institutional set-up
- Quality and oversight
- Other profiles
- Additional resources
Development Co‑operation Profiles: Japan
Table of contents
Japan prioritises self-reliant development and the mutual benefits of co-operation with partner countries. Japan focuses on quality growth, poverty eradication, peace and stability, and global challenges, leveraging its expertise while respecting partner countries’ ownership. Japan provides more than half of its official development assistance (ODA) in the form of non-grants, the highest share among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members in 2023. Japan’s ODA decreased in 2024 to USD 16.8 billion (preliminary data), representing 0.39% of gross national income (GNI).
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
The Development Cooperation Charter, revised in 2023, outlines Japan’s approach to development co‑operation, emphasising human security as its core principle. The charter highlights Japan’s commitment to promoting international norms rooted in equity, openness and justice. It aims to promote sustainable growth and uphold a rules-based international order, aligned with Japan’s vision of a “Free and Open Indo‑Pacific”. A focus is also placed on the promotion of quality growth for long-term social and economic development and enhancing regional connectivity.
Japan places great importance on dialogue and collaboration with diverse actors to tackle the compound crises and development challenges confronting the international community. For instance, it partners with multilateral organisations, leveraging their expertise and networks to build synergies with its bilateral co-operation and to reach less accessible sectors and regions less accessible. Through its engagement with multilaterals, Japan supports the rule of law and peace while aiming to promote inclusive, resilient societies that contribute to free trade; long-term prosperity; and maintain financial sustainability and regional stability. Japan is a strong proponent of quality infrastructure investment.
The 2020 OECD-DAC Peer Review praised Japan’s whole-of-society approach to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recognised Japan as a global champion of disaster risk reduction. It noted that increasing ODA could strengthen Japan’s leadership and commitment to the SDGs and that a mechanism would help ensure coherence between domestic policies and global sustainable development objectives. Whole-of-government country policies would ensure synergies across Japan’s portfolio, and it could be more explicit about how programmes reduce poverty. More streamlined systems and procedures would make Japan a more agile donor. The Peer Review found that Japan had fully or partially implemented 19 of the 20 recommendations of the 2014 Peer Review. Discover insights from Japan’s 2020 Peer Review and learn from Japan’s practices in Development Co-operation Tools Insights Practices (TIPs). Japan’s next Peer Review is planned for 2026.
Japan provided USD 16.8 billion (preliminary data) of ODA in 2024 (USD 17.6 billion in constant terms), representing 0.39% of GNI.1 This was a decrease of 10.3% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2023. Japan’s ODA has risen steadily over the last six years. Japan is mindful of the need to achieve the 0.7% ODA/GNI target but has not set a domestic target. Within Japan’s ODA portfolio in 2023, 42.2% was provided in the form of grants and 57.8% in the form of non-grants.2
In 2024, Japan ranked 5th among DAC members in terms of ODA volume and 13th in terms of the ODA to GNI ratio. The majority of Japan’s ODA is delivered bilaterally through the public sector. Among DAC members in 2023, it has one of the highest bilateral shares of country programmable aid (77.8% of gross bilateral ODA). Japan’s bilateral ODA per person in extreme poverty3 was USD 7.7 per person in least developed countries (LDCs) in 2023, one of the highest amongst DAC members. Japan provided 70% of bilateral allocable ODA to aid for trade in 2023.
Japan has committed to several international targets and DAC standards and recommendations. Learn more about DAC Recommendations.
Note: This table only includes information about ODA data-related DAC Recommendations. ODA: official development assistance; GNI: gross national income; DAC: Development Assistance Committee.
Japan provided a higher share of its ODA bilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 84.9% of total ODA disbursements. Fifteen per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, Japan provided USD 6.7 billion of gross ODA to the multilateral system, an increase of 38.9% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 3.6 billion was core multilateral ODA (15.1% of total ODA), while USD 3.1 billion was non-core contributions earmarked for a specific country, region, theme or purpose. Project-type funding earmarked for a specific theme and/or country accounted for 24% of Japan’s non-core contributions and 76% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 24.5% of Japan’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 1.2 billion (73.8%) represented earmarked contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 1.7 billion to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Japan’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations Development Programme (USD 390.8 million), the World Food Programme (USD 188.6 million) and the UN Secretariat (USD 138.4 million).
See the section on Geographic, sectoral and thematic focus of ODA for the breakdown of bilateral allocations, including ODA earmarked through the multilateral development system. Learn more by exploring the dashboard on DAC members’ use of the multilateral system.
In 2023, Japan’s bilateral spending increased compared to the previous year. It provided USD 20.4 billion of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented an increase of 6.9% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 15.9 billion, or 77.8% of Japan’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the DAC country average of 43.1%.
Japan has a strategy guiding its engagement in triangular co-operation. Its approach is focused on scaling up bilateral co-operation and advancing third-country training programmes. Japan is a member of the Global Partnership Initiative on Effective Triangular Co-operation. Learn more about triangular co-operation.
In 2023, Japan channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through the public sector. Technical co-operation made up 6.7% of gross ODA in 2023.
In 2023, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 218.8 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 7.6% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 0.8% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 0.3% was channelled through CSOs to implement projects initiated by the donor (earmarked funding). From 2022 to 2023, the combined core and earmarked contributions for CSOs decreased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 1.2% to 1.1%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, Japan’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on Asia (excluding the Middle East). USD 10.8 billion was allocated to Asia (excluding the Middle East) and USD 2.6 billion to countries in Africa, accounting respectively for 53.2% and 12.7% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 1.6 billion was allocated to the Middle East. Africa was the main regional recipient of Japan’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2023, 59.4% of gross bilateral ODA went to Japan’s top 10 recipients. Its top 10 recipients are mainly in Asia, which is in line with its policy priorities. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 18.2%, of which 0.9% consisted of expenditures for processing and hosting refugees hosted in Japan.
In 2023, Japan allocated 0.13% of its GNI to the LDCs. Japan allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (47.1%) to lower middle-income countries in 2023, noting that 18.2% was unallocated by income group. LDCs received 20.9% of Japan’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 4.3 billion). Additionally, Japan allocated 7% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 1.4 billion. Japan allocated 1.8% of gross bilateral ODA to small island developing states (SIDS) in 2023, equal to USD 359.1 million.
Looking at the distribution of Japan’s ODA in relation to “ODA per person in extreme poverty”,4 the amount was USD 7.7 per person in LDCs, USD 12.4 in lower middle-income countries (LMICs) and USD 29.3 in upper middle-income countries.
In 2024, Japan provided USD 466.2 million of net bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion, a 40.3% decrease from 2023 in real terms. USD 161.4 million of the amount was humanitarian assistance in 2024, a 73.3% decrease from 2023.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 5.9 billion in 2023, representing 28.8% of Japan’s gross bilateral ODA. Five per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, an increase from 4.9% in 2022, while 6% was allocated to peace, an increase from 1.6% in 2022. One per cent of gross bilateral ODA went to conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, representing a decrease from 0.7% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, more than half of Japan’s bilateral ODA was allocated to economic infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 56% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 15.8 billion), with a strong focus on support to transport and storage (USD 13.5 billion), energy (USD 2 billion), and business and other services (USD 130.6 million). ODA for multi-sector totalled USD 3.8 billion, with a focus on other multisector (USD 3.7 billion). Social infrastructure and services amounted to USD 3.1 billion (11% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations also focused on other macro sectors and social sectors in 2023.
In the period 2022-23, Japan committed 59.6% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment, compared to 52.8% in 2020-215 and a 2022-23 DAC average of 45.8%. This is equal to USD 11.8 billion of screened bilateral allocable ODA in support of gender equality on average per year. In addition:
The share of screened bilateral allocable ODA committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment as a principal objective was 0.5% in 2022-23, compared with the DAC average of 4%.
Japan includes gender equality objectives in 10.5% of ODA for humanitarian aid, below the 2022‑23 DAC average of 19.1%.
Japan screens the majority of bilateral allocable ODA activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker (92.5% in 2022-23).
Japan committed USD 21.3 million of ODA to end violence against women and girls and USD 21.1 million to support women’s rights organisations and movements, and government institutions on average in 2022-23.
Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance and the DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation in Development Co-operation, and by exploring the dashboard on DAC members’ development finance for gender equality.
In 2022-23, Japan committed 67% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 14.3 billion) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions, down from 72.7% in 2020-21. The DAC average was 39% in 2022-23. In addition:
Four per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, compared with the DAC average of 9.6%.
Sixty-five per cent of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 13.9 billion) focused on climate change overall, down from 72.2% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 34.8%). Japan had a greater focus on mitigation (50.1%) than on adaptation (21.5%) in 2022-23.
Two per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 314.2 million) focused on biodiversity overall, down from 1.7% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 7.6%).
Learn more about the DAC Declaration on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Note: Individual Rio Markers should not be added up as this can result in double counting.
The OECD’s tracking of ODA for the sustainable ocean economy shows that Japan committed USD 1.3 billion in support of the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in 2023, USD 1.2 billion more than in 2022. The 2023 value is equivalent to 4.9% of Japan’s bilateral allocable ODA.
In 2023, Japan:
Allocated 4.9% of its bilateral ODA (USD 990.5 million) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by SDG 1.a.1. This indicator captures grants to basic social services (such as basic health and education, water supply and sanitation) and development food aid. In addition, 0.4% of bilateral ODA (USD 74.6 million) went to social protection support.
Committed USD 1 billion (3.7% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to address the immediate or underlying determinants of malnutrition in developing countries across a variety of sectors, such as water supply and sanitation; agriculture, forestry and fishing; and health.
Committed USD 11.6 billion (43.1% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to development co-operation projects and programmes that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Committed USD 11.3 million to the mobilisation of domestic resources in developing countries. Regarding the payment of local tax and customs duties for ODA-funded goods and services, Japan generally requests exemptions on its ODA-funded goods and services in partner countries and territories. It makes this information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.
Committed USD 18.7 billion (70% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2023. Japan is among the top 10 official providers of aid for trade globally.
To build markets in developing countries and incentivise greater mobilisation of private resources for development, many providers, including Japan, have established development finance institutions (DFIs) and similar vehicles that extend private sector instruments (PSI). The PSI programme of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - Private Sector Investment Finance (PSIF) - was assessed as an ODA-eligible PSI vehicle. PSI represented 1.9% of Japan’s ODA in 2023 while the DAC average stood at 1.3%.
In 2023, JICA’s PSIF extended USD 651 million in the form of PSI to developing countries.6 Of this, loans accounted for 83.4% whereas equities accounted for 16.6%.
In 2023, USD 158.6 million (24.4%) of Japan’s PSI were allocated to the LDCs and other low-income countries (LICs), with a majority of 64.8% received by middle-income countries and LMICs in particular (35.1%). USD 70.8 million was unallocated by income. Japan’s PSI primarily supported projects in the agriculture, forestry, fishing (24.5%) and industry, mining, construction (19%).
Japan uses leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2023, Japan’s Japan Bank for International Co-operation, Japanese International Cooperation Agency and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance mobilised USD 1.2 billion from the private sector through guarantees, syndicated loans, direct investment in companies and special purpose vehicles, credit lines and shares in collective investment vehicles. This constituted a 16.1% decrease compared to 2022.
Private finance mobilised by Japan in 2022-23 mainly targeted middle-income countries, representing 76.1% of its total mobilised. Only 11.1% of total mobilised private finance during this period benefited the LDCs and other LICs, noting that 12.8% was unallocated by income.
Mobilised private finance by Japan in 2022-23 related mainly to activities in energy (41.5%) as its top sector. Furthermore, over this period, 24.9% of Japan’s total mobilised private finance was for climate action.
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) is an international statistical standard that monitors and increases transparency of all official and officially supported resources for financing the SDGs in developing countries, as well as for addressing global challenges. In 2023, activities reported by Japan as TOSSD totalled USD 23.1 billion, up from USD 20.5 billion in 2022. Japan’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is responsible for co-ordinating the planning of Japan’s development co-operation policies and most contributions to multilateral organisations. JICA is the main agency responsible for implementing bilateral ODA. It provides grants, Japanese ODA loans and technical co-operation in response to the priorities of each partner country. JICA conducts its operations based on medium-term plans stipulating five-year cycles. The 5th Medium-Term Plan (2022-2026) addresses infrastructure, economic growth, human-centered development, universal values and peacebuilding, and global issues.
As of 2024, MOFA has approximately 6 600 staff, 45% based in Japan and 55% based in embassies abroad. JICA has approximately 2 000 staff, 80% of which are based in Japan and 20% of which are in country offices abroad.
Japanese CSOs are active in development co-operation, humanitarian assistance and global citizenship education. The Japan NGO Center for International Co-operation promotes networking and collaborative activities among non-governmental organisations engaged in international co-operation.
Internal systems and processes help ensure the effective delivery of Japan’s development co-operation. Select features are shown in the table below.
Access the full list of providers at this link: Development Co-operation Profiles.
2020 OECD-DAC Peer Review of Japan: https://doi.org/10.1787/b2229106-en
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): https://www.jica.go.jp/english
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA): https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/index.html
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (2023), Japan’s Development Cooperation Charter: Japan’s Contributions to the Sustainable Development of a Free and Open World, https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/page24e_000410.html
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (2015), Development Co-operation Charter: For Peace, Prosperity and a Better Future for Everyone: https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000067701.pdf
JICA (2022), Japan International Cooperation Agency, Annual Report, https://www.jica.go.jp/english/publications/reports/annual/2022/fh2q4d000001doiv-att/2022_all.pdf
Japan NGO Center for International Co-operation: https://www.janic.org/en
Japan has been a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 1960.
The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including the grant-equivalent methodology, core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, country programmable aid, channels of delivery, bilateral ODA unspecified/unallocated, bilateral allocable ODA, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.
This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Member countries of the OECD.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
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Note by all the European Union Member States of the OECD and the European Union
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← 1. DAC members adopted the grant-equivalent methodology starting from their reporting of 2018 data as a more accurate way to count the donor effort in development loans. See the methodological notes for further details.
← 2. Non-grants include sovereign loans, multilateral loans, equity investment and loans to the private sector.
← 3. Aid per person in extreme poverty is calculated by dividing net ODA by the population in extreme poverty in each country. Group averages are calculated based on a weighted average of aid per person in extreme poverty and the number of people in extreme poverty for each country in the group. For more information on this indicator, please see here.
← 4. Aid per person in extreme poverty is calculated by dividing net ODA (bilateral and imputed multilateral) by the population in extreme poverty in each country. Group averages are calculated based on a weighted average of aid per person in extreme poverty and the number of people in extreme poverty for each country in the group. For more information on this indicator, please see here.
← 5. The use of the recommended minimum criteria for the marker by some members in recent years can result in lower levels of ODA reported as being focused on gender equality.
← 6. In 2023, the DAC agreed on revised reporting methods for measuring PSI in ODA based on ODA grant equivalents. Members may, however, take up to two years to transition to the new methods, with their PSI continuing to be accounted for on a net ODA basis during the transition period.