Asahi: Yen needed to clean up China's pollution
Interesting new series of articles in Asahi starting today, with an interview with Kenji Someno, an Environment Ministry official attached to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.
"It is wrong to assume China's economic state by just seeing Beijing, Shanghai or the GDP figures," the 40-year-old Someno said. "The fact is, most regions across China are in no more of an economic state than a typical developing country."
Tokyo's official development assistance (ODA) to China has been slashed over the past decade because of China's rapid economic growth and Japan's severe fiscal conditions. Tokyo and Beijing also agreed to terminate new yen loan-related projects before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Although Japan remains the primary contributor in China's efforts to combat its serious environmental problems, a Japanese Environment Ministry advisory panel in August proposed a more equal "partnership."
In 2005, the government's yen loans to China totaled 74.7 billion yen. About 80 percent of them were for environmental projects. In addition, all of Japan's 1.4 billion yen grants to China the same year financed such projects.
The panel said Japan needs a more strategic approach to achieve mutual benefits from its aid to clean up China, given the countries' increasing economic and political rivalry.
I hope the series of articles will point to the fact that Japan needs to do more for the sake of the environment in Asia (and the world), not less.
Asahi: Yen needed to clean up China's pollution
"It is wrong to assume China's economic state by just seeing Beijing, Shanghai or the GDP figures," the 40-year-old Someno said. "The fact is, most regions across China are in no more of an economic state than a typical developing country."
Tokyo's official development assistance (ODA) to China has been slashed over the past decade because of China's rapid economic growth and Japan's severe fiscal conditions. Tokyo and Beijing also agreed to terminate new yen loan-related projects before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Although Japan remains the primary contributor in China's efforts to combat its serious environmental problems, a Japanese Environment Ministry advisory panel in August proposed a more equal "partnership."
In 2005, the government's yen loans to China totaled 74.7 billion yen. About 80 percent of them were for environmental projects. In addition, all of Japan's 1.4 billion yen grants to China the same year financed such projects.
The panel said Japan needs a more strategic approach to achieve mutual benefits from its aid to clean up China, given the countries' increasing economic and political rivalry.
I hope the series of articles will point to the fact that Japan needs to do more for the sake of the environment in Asia (and the world), not less.
Asahi: Yen needed to clean up China's pollution
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