VZCZCXRO0904
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHKO #2566/01 3100921
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060921Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7302
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0392

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002566 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE/EAP/J, STATE/EEB, SRAP, NEA 
PASS USAID/ODP USAID/SCAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON JA PGOV
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ROOS MEETS WITH JICA PRESIDENT OGATA 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED (SBU) -- NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION 
 
Summary (SBU):  Japanese International Cooperation Agency 
(JICA) President Sadako Ogata warmly welcomed Ambassador Roos 
on a October 28 courtesy call, sharing observations from a 
recent trip to Iraq and personal reflections on the 
complexities and challenges involved in Afghanistan and 
Pakistan.  The universally-respected Ogata also outlined for 
the Ambassador key changes/reforms to Japan's foreign aid 
priorities and structures since JICA assumed an expanded 
organizational mandate in late 2008.  Ambassador Roos 
underscored the importance of Japan's contributions to global 
development and expressed his interest in expanding 
U.S.-Japan cooperation on shared priorities such as climate 
change and engaging the private sector to address development 
goals.  End Summary. 
 
New JICA under Ogata 
-------------------- 
 
¶1.  (U) As JICA President, Ogata directs Japan's core 
development aid agency, managing approximately $10 billion in 
annual foreign assistance to more than 100 countries around 
the world.  Since a comprehensive reform and consolidation of 
Japan's foreign aid structures took effect in late 2008, JICA 
has assumed integrated responsibilities for administering all 
overseas technical cooperation, grant aid, and concessional 
loan operations.  Ogata outlined for the Ambassador the 
shifts in aid approach and priorities since JICA assumed its 
expanded mandate.  While Ogata allowed that a majority of 
Japan's aid still goes to strategic countries in the 
Asia-Pacific region, with India mentioned as the largest 
recipient, she believes that Japan has sharpened the 
development focus of its aid and is pleased with the 
increased attention to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which 
now constitutes 28 percent of the aid budget. 
 
Back from Baghdad and the Af-Pak Challenge 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.   (SBU)  Ogata recently returned from a trip to review 
JICA operations in Iraq, where she relayed that she also 
visited with Ambassador Hill at Embassy Baghdad.  Japan has 
provided nearly $5 billion in assistance to Iraq since 
Operation Enduring Freedom and recently approved several new 
large-scale infrastructure development loans.  Ogata conveyed 
to Ambassador Roos that she believes that important progress 
has been made in Iraq, and that continued JICA efforts to 
consolidate gains are critical.  Ogata mentioned Ambassador 
Hill's proposal to facilitate the participation or imbedding 
of JICA personnel in USG interagency "diplomatic-development 
teams" in Iraq and expressed that it may possible for JICA to 
do this (she drew a distinction between this proposal with 
Provincial Reconstruction Teams/PRTs in Afghanistan, a 
situation which she believed would be too risky/difficult for 
her agency, or Japan to take on). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Moving then to Afghanistan, where JICA has been 
active since 2002, Ogata and JICA's Director General for 
South Asia Masataka Nakahara outlined for the Ambassador 
JICA's programs and presence on the ground-- currently at 40 
field-based staff who are managing programs in agriculture, 
health, education, and infrastructure.  Ogata believes 
progress is occurring in Afghanistan, but is concerned about 
the increased return of Taliban members to the country 
"particularly over the past year."  Bio Note: As former UN 
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and GOJ Special Envoy 
to Afghanistan, Ogata has extensive experience in the region 
going beyond her JICA leadership. End Note.  The Ambassador 
inquired about the degree to which Ogata has been consulted 
by the new government in developing their proposal to 
increase civilian assistance, with Ogata responding that she 
briefed Foreign Minister Okada, as well as Prime Minister 
Hatoyama on the region and the viability of programming 
options for both Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Ambassador Roos 
also asked Ogata what she felt the U.S. should focus on in 
Afghanistan, and in a noteworthy response for someone who has 
devoted most of her life to development and the softer sides 
of diplomacy, Ogata said "it's clear the military is still 
needed...and that human security concerns are still paramount 
there." 
 
 
Let's Work Together 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Ambassador Roos complimented Ogata on her 
leadership and the quality of JICA's programs, and emphasized 
 
TOKYO 00002566  002 OF 002 
 
 
the importance of Japan's continued engagement on global 
issues.  Re-iterating that the U.S. and Japan share many 
common  priorities, such as climate change and increased 
attention to development in Sub-Saharan Africa, the 
Ambassador offered his support to help deepen and broaden our 
bilateral aid collaboration.  Ogata cited the value of the 
joint work USAID and JICA have done in the public health 
area, and her interest in expanding this to other areas.  The 
Ambassador and Ogata also agreed that promotion of 
public-private partnerships, and leveraging the Japanese 
private sector to support development objectives would be a 
particularly useful area for us to work together on moving 
forward. 
 
Participants 
------------ 
 
U.S. Ambassador John V. Roos 
JICA President Sadako Ogata 
JICA Director General for Operations Strategy, Kunio Okamura 
JICA Director General for South Asia, Masataka Nakahara 
JICA Director General for Middle East, Junichi Yamada 
Embassy Tokyo USAID Counselor, John Beed 
ROOS