Local Spirit, Global Knowledge: A Japanese approach to knowledge development in international cooperation

Japan has emerged as a leading player in international aid but has often been seen as being rather peripheral to the major debates about development and aid. This paper seeks to examine the distinct contribution Japan can make to these debates. To develop such an argument it is necessary to look into Japan's own history of development and aid receipt. It is also important to understand the crucial role played by Japanese cultural values and, particularly, the central importance of a Japanese tradition of understanding knowledge that is very different from those of other aid-providing countries.