Date and Time: November 30th (Wed.) 16:00-18:00, 2016
Place: Tonan-tei (Room No. 201) on the 2nd floor of Inamori foundation
memorial building, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University

Title: Japan’s official development assistance to Myanmar and its characteristics
Speaker: Dr Zhao Shulan, CSEAS Guest Scholar from the Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences

Moderator: Caroline Hau, CSEAS, Kyoto University

Abstract:
International development assistance is derived from and part of
international cooperation. International cooperation was initially
nurtured in the context of North-South cooperation, and this background
helps to explain why it has gradually evolved into a north country-led
international aid system. Many of the paradoxes existing within the
system have pushed international aid to stray from its original goal,
namely, to facilitate the development of a targeted country. Therefore,
starting from the end of last century, the international aid system has
been plagued by criticism. However, by promoting official development
assistance(ODA) in the mean time, Japan was not only able to use ODA as
a channel to opened doors to post-war foreign relations but also achieve
many of its strategic objectives. Moreover, such ODA helps Japan to gain
much recognition from target countries. The development of Japan’s ODA
indicates that such practices help to build mutual need between Japan
and aid recipient countries. Taking Japan’s ODA to Myanmar as a case
study, this seminar tries to explore Japan’s effort to meet both Myanmar
and Japan’s needs in different period through ODA, and by doing so,
build a win-win relationship with Myanmar.

About the speaker:
Dr Zhao Shulan is Associate Researcher at the
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences,
China. She is now working on issues relating to Japan’s relationship
with Southeast Asian countries.