Taro Kono on International Finance
TL;DR
Taro Kono strongly advocates for strategic Official Development Assistance (ODA) to promote international cooperation and secure Japan's national interests.
Key Points
As Foreign Minister in 2017, Taro Kono promoted Japan's ODA as a tool for realizing the 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.'
He participated in high-level international events to advance the concept of 'quality infrastructure investment,' emphasizing its five key elements.
Japan's development cooperation policy, for which he was responsible, is guided by the Development Cooperation Charter, prioritizing non-military contributions to peace.
Summary
Taro Kono, in his role as Minister for Foreign Affairs, positioned Japan's development cooperation, which includes international finance tools like ODA, as a key foreign policy instrument. He strongly supported the 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy,' which utilizes ODA to foster peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region, viewing it as essential for securing Japan's national interests. A core element of this is promoting 'quality infrastructure' development through significant financial commitments, such as the 'Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure,' which mobilized substantial public and private funds internationally.
As Foreign Minister, Kono was involved in utilizing ODA to support international legal frameworks and economic cooperation, such as co-hosting a UN side event on 'Promoting Quality Infrastructure Investment' in September 2017. His stance ties development finance directly to foreign policy objectives, focusing on concepts like 'human security' and the mobilization of private sector funds alongside official flows to achieve global goals like the SDGs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Taro Kono's main focus in international finance, as seen during his time as Foreign Minister, was channeling Official Development Assistance (ODA) strategically. He strongly supported using these financial tools to advance Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy' and promote international stability. This approach prioritized 'quality infrastructure' investment and adherence to international law.
Taro Kono led international discussions on promoting quality infrastructure investment, as evidenced by his participation in a UN General Assembly high-level side event in September 2017. According to the White Paper on Development Cooperation 2017, he expressed Japan's resolve to lead the world in applying innovation to scale up climate financing through public-private partnerships.
Taro Kono views development cooperation and its financial instruments as essential components of Japan's foreign policy toolkit. In a 2017 document, he outlined that development cooperation, mainly through ODA, is a key means for Japan to make proactive contributions to global peace and secure its national interests.