ID :
174169
Fri, 04/08/2011 - 18:27
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https://oananews.org//node/174169
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Matsumoto warns of negative impact from possible ODA cuts
TOKYO, April 8 Kyodo -
Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto warned Friday of possible negative effects on Japan's ties with other countries if a plan is realized to slash the nation's foreign aid to secure funds for relief and reconstruction work following a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami on March 11.
Matsumoto told a press conference that a proposal by some members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to temporarily halt the nation's aid disbursement for a year to raise recovery funds could have a considerable impact on the country's diplomacy.
''As we rebuild our nation, many countries expect that Japan will work hand-in-hand with them more than ever before,'' he said.
''We'd like to avoid as much as possible a situation under which our continued (financial) contributions would come to naught,'' the minister said.
DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada, a former foreign minister, said Thursday that he believes it is possible to slash a certain amount of Japan's official development assistance for one year to finance the country's reconstruction efforts.
Okada said he is confident that such a move ''would not weaken Japan's position on overseas aid'' and that Tokyo's stance could ''gain understanding from other countries.''
The party has been discussing a plan to cut the foreign aid allocation for fiscal 2011 worth around 570 billion yen by 20 percent to secure funds for the first in a series of extra budgets envisaged for reconstruction work, according to government and party sources.
Earlier in the day, Matsumoto called for a cautious debate on the idea in a meeting of DPJ politicians serving as senior Foreign Ministry officials.
He urged others to ''rack their brains'' over the question of funding, according to parliamentary vice foreign minister Ikuo Yamahana.
The minister said the planned 20 percent reduction amounting to more than 100 billion yen is ''very large,'' but the politicians shared the view that Japan's ODA ''cannot be immune to cuts'' to raise post-quake recovery funds, Yamahana said.
The parliamentary vice minister pointed out the difficulties in sharply reducing the aid, as some has been pledged internationally, and fixed costs such as personnel expenses cannot be easily trimmed.
Yamahana said the ministry will conduct its own review of the ODA budget in the face of mounting pressure to create recovery funds.
Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto warned Friday of possible negative effects on Japan's ties with other countries if a plan is realized to slash the nation's foreign aid to secure funds for relief and reconstruction work following a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami on March 11.
Matsumoto told a press conference that a proposal by some members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to temporarily halt the nation's aid disbursement for a year to raise recovery funds could have a considerable impact on the country's diplomacy.
''As we rebuild our nation, many countries expect that Japan will work hand-in-hand with them more than ever before,'' he said.
''We'd like to avoid as much as possible a situation under which our continued (financial) contributions would come to naught,'' the minister said.
DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada, a former foreign minister, said Thursday that he believes it is possible to slash a certain amount of Japan's official development assistance for one year to finance the country's reconstruction efforts.
Okada said he is confident that such a move ''would not weaken Japan's position on overseas aid'' and that Tokyo's stance could ''gain understanding from other countries.''
The party has been discussing a plan to cut the foreign aid allocation for fiscal 2011 worth around 570 billion yen by 20 percent to secure funds for the first in a series of extra budgets envisaged for reconstruction work, according to government and party sources.
Earlier in the day, Matsumoto called for a cautious debate on the idea in a meeting of DPJ politicians serving as senior Foreign Ministry officials.
He urged others to ''rack their brains'' over the question of funding, according to parliamentary vice foreign minister Ikuo Yamahana.
The minister said the planned 20 percent reduction amounting to more than 100 billion yen is ''very large,'' but the politicians shared the view that Japan's ODA ''cannot be immune to cuts'' to raise post-quake recovery funds, Yamahana said.
The parliamentary vice minister pointed out the difficulties in sharply reducing the aid, as some has been pledged internationally, and fixed costs such as personnel expenses cannot be easily trimmed.
Yamahana said the ministry will conduct its own review of the ODA budget in the face of mounting pressure to create recovery funds.
