The Securitization of Foreign Aid: The Case of Japan’s ODA

Although Japan’s official development assistance (ODA), a key foreign policy instrument, has been traditionally characterized by a heavy focus on infrastructure development through loan operations, the 1992 ODA Charter was revised in 2003 to incorporate human security as a core principle of Japanese ODA, establishing a nexus between development cooperation and security policy. However, the rise of China—particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative announced in 2013—and Japan’s severe economic and fiscal situation have ushered in a new era of securitization of ODA. In 2022, Japan adopted a new National Security Strategy that stipulates the strategic use of ODA. The subsequent revision of the Development Cooperation Charter in 2023 marked a significant shift in Japanese foreign aid policy, emphasizing national interests and security. This study argues that the securitization of ODA, including economic security, represents the most significant change in recent Japanese ODA policy.