Japanese Approaches to Development Communication

要旨

Development communication literature neglects attention to Japanese approaches to development practice as a prominent donor institution. Based on a series of interviews and document reviews, this analysis characterizes how Japanese development projects use communication technologies to address a variety of development goals. Moreover, this research explores how this development discourse constructs social problems, beneficiaries, and appropriate solutions. Japan's development communication approaches can be seen as resonating with a modernization paradigm, emphasizing the importance of the private sector, along with attention to national development strategies, national identity, and technological innovation. However, there are some important distinctions between Japanese and western approaches : Japanese approaches tend to privilege process over outcomes in development practices, to consider structural and social over individual issues in addressing social problems, and to resist social marketing and other campaign strategies in communication projects. If development communication as a field is to extend beyond its limited origins, it is imperative that scholars attempt to understand how other donors and communities are engaging in strategic intervention. Although development communication may be well ensconced in western communication literature, this field appears much more amorphous in other cultural contexts. Currently conceived in English-language publications as the intentional use of communication technologies and processes in strategic social change, development communication carries with it the historical experiences of western ventures into foreign aid. The disjuncture between western definitions and alternative approaches seems ironic in a field purportedly designed to foster international goodwill. If development communication as a field is to extend beyond its limited origins, it is imperative that scholars attempt to understand how other donors and communities are engaging in strategic intervention. As the largest overseas development donor for more than a decade (JICA, 2002a), Japan clearly deserves more attention in the development communication literature. Previous discussions of development communication in Japan, published in western languages, have been more likely to focus on national communication strategies within the country (Takeichi, 1991) than on its practices as a donor institution. Publications concerning Japan's overseas communication practices, or donor activities in general are few (Raffer & Singer, 1996), tending to focus on population strategies (Urata & Utsumi, 1994) or new information and communication technologies (ICTs). Discussions of development communication in the western literature would benefit greatly from learning about Japanese approaches as a donor. In this study, I explore the work of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as the central bilateral organization that allocates grant aid and technical assistance to developing countries. In this study, I focus on JICA's approach to development communication through its overseas development assistance (ODA). In keeping with emerging conceptions of the field (Wilkins & Mody, 2001) delineating how development institutions "develop communication" strategies from how their discourse "communicates development," this analysis addresses two broad research questions. First, how is JICA using communications in its ODA projects? More specifically, what kinds of communications technologies are being used and how are they conceptualized within the development process? Second, analyses consider how JICA "communicates development" through its discourse. This approach builds on recent critiques of the development industry, as legitimizing interventions through particular constructions of the "helping" process. In this regard, I explore JICA's discourse in terms of the assumptions made about development problems, appropriate benefici

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