How is Japanese ODA changing?

As part of the government's stated intentions to increase ODA, total volume rose by 15% to 0.44% of GNI in 2023, but fell in 2024. The 2025 ODA budget presented a 2.2% growth on 2024 levels, as set by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who led Japan from 2021 until October 2024. Kishida's government maintained a pragmatic and moderately expansionary approach to ODA, positioning aid as part of Japan's broader Indo-Pacific engagement, emphasizing climate finance, health security, and infrastructure partnerships.

The 2026 draft Japanese ODA budget shows only 0.1% growth from the 2025 budget, but the government prepared it before Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was elected in October 2025. While the Takaichi administration favors less robust Japanese ODA, Japan's budgetary processes leave limited room for major changes at late stages, meaning the near-flat growth reflects pre-existing economic constraints from defense spending expansion rather than a clear policy shift by the new government.