research and the publishing of reports on the results of such research. The 1970s and 1980s Historically, Japan's foreign aid policies were widely criticized by many countries within the Organization for Economic-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC). While there has been a general increase in spending, much of the criticism is in regards to the quality of the aid. Much of the money went to corrupt government officials in Asia and projects that caused serious damage to the environment. It is important to understand the structure of Japan's government and how that affects foreign aid. The largest problem is that there is no political center for foreign aid policies. Alan Rix, a political analyst who specializes in Japan, notes “due largely to historical factors and entrenched bureaucratic interests, foreign aid is seriously underrepresented in the Japanese political system”. Reports from the OECD from the 1980s show a dismal trend for Japanese foreign aid. Of the 18 DAC members, Japan ranked 12th overall. Japan ranked 12th in money spent per capita, 18th in share of grants, and ranked 14th in technical cooperation. The 1990s In the 1990s, Japan's position switched. It revised its foreign aid position and released an Official Development Assistance (ODA) Charter in 1992. During the 1990s Japan became the world's top aid donor. The goals of the charter were “human security, poverty alleviation, health, and women's welfare”. The 2000s While Japan isn't the top donor in the world, it is still at number four overall. It updated the charter in 2003 and again in 2015. While previous governments kept military and defense-related activities out of aid services, new geopolitical concerns have altered the function of aid. As China continues to rise, it threatens Japan's hegemony in the region. Escalating tensions in the South China Sea have caused Japan to switch its foreign aid packages. It provided surveillance ships to the Vietnamese and the Filipino coast guards. Japan has also started promoting cybersecurity and maritime security in the region. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzō Abe called these approaches ‘pro-active pacifism’. While Japan has redefined its goals, it still has a commitment to traditional aid philosophies. It spends large amounts of financial and human capital to confront humanitarian issues in the developing world. References Government of Japan Foreign relations of Japan