Chapter 8: Strategic Global Outreach and International Cooperation
Overview
Chapter 8, “Strategic Global Outreach and International Cooperation,” covers overseas development of infrastructure systems, international negotiations and cooperation, and efforts toward international standardization. Section 1, “Promoting Overseas Development of Infrastructure Systems,” describes the government’s direction, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) measures, support methods, and activities in various countries and regions. Section 2, “Advancing International Negotiations and Cooperation,” explains economic partnerships, contributions to international organizations, and bilateral and multilateral cooperation by sector. Section 3, “Efforts Toward International Standardization,” outlines activities concerning standards and specifications in areas such as automobiles, railways, ships, roads, water supply and sewerage, logistics, and ports. In December 2024, the government formulated the “Infrastructure Systems Overseas Development Strategy 2030” and is advancing overseas development through public-private collaboration along three pillars. MLIT supports projects from formation through post-award follow-up and promotes cooperation with countries, regions, and international organizations, as well as technical cooperation and standardization.
Key points
- The government organized the “Infrastructure Systems Overseas Development Strategy 2030” around three pillars.
- MLIT advances measures for overseas development based on its action plan.
- The government pursues cooperation and international negotiations with countries, regions, and international organizations.
- The government advances international standardization across various sectors.
Overview
Global infrastructure needs are enormous, particularly in emerging economies, while climate change, risks of fragmentation in the international order, and humanitarian crises are occurring in combination. Risks in the investment and business environment, such as country risk, and supply chain disruptions are also identified as challenges.
In March 2013, the government established the Council for Infrastructure Strategy for Economic Cooperation and has since pursued overseas infrastructure development through a unified government effort. In light of changes in the environment, it formulated the “Infrastructure Systems Overseas Development Strategy 2030” in December 2024 to set the direction for the government as a whole.
The strategy has three pillars: improving the capacity to generate revenue through co-creation with partner countries and strengthening international competitiveness; responding to economic security and other concerns while securing national interests; and seizing social transformation, including GX and DX, as an opportunity.
Details
Based on its action plan, MLIT engages from the stage when partner countries formulate higher-level plans and communicates information through top-level sales and intergovernmental dialogue. Its measures also include creating an environment for PPP, forming projects that capitalize on Japan’s strengths, improving the quality of consultant studies, strengthening company competitiveness, securing and developing human resources, and providing post-award follow-up and handling problems.
The Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development (JOIN) was established in 2014 as a public-private fund that shares risks and participates in projects through investment and personnel dispatch. After recording a loss in its fiscal 2023 financial results, it reported progress on management improvement measures based on the final report of an expert committee and indicated a policy of resuming new support decisions.
Public-private councils and similar bodies provide information and business-matching opportunities to support the overseas development of mid-sized and small and medium-sized enterprises and startups. In smart cities, efforts are advanced through Smart JAMP and JASCA; in transport soft infrastructure, they are advanced through JAST.
Country and regional activities include cooperation on the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit and sewerage projects in Indonesia; cooperation in the water sector in Vietnam; and cooperation on high-speed rail and road technology in India. In Ukraine, a public-private council works on infrastructure reconstruction, while public-private infrastructure conferences and related activities are held in Africa.
International negotiations and cooperation take place through frameworks including EPAs/FTAs, the WTO, APEC, ASEAN, the OECD, United Nations agencies, the G7 and G20, and the World Bank. By sector, cooperation, information exchange, and technical cooperation are carried out in water supply and sewerage, disaster prevention, roads, housing and construction, railways, maritime affairs, aviation, logistics, meteorology and earthquakes and tsunamis, maritime safety, tourism, and other areas.
International standardization efforts cover automobile standards and certification, railways, ships and seafarers, civil engineering and construction, ITS, geographic information, professional qualifications for engineers, water supply and sewerage, logistics, ports, and water-related disaster management. Work advances the development and dissemination of standards through international organizations and encourages their adoption in partner countries. In Vietnam, 10 national technical standards for port facilities were issued.