International Cooperation Day

What Is International Cooperation Day?

October 6 is "International Cooperation Day" in Japan. On October 6, 1954, Japan's cabinet decided to join the Colombo Plan, an international framework supporting economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region. The day was established in 1987 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (then JICA's predecessor). Joining the Colombo Plan is regarded as the beginning of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Japan's Path in International Cooperation

Japan's cooperation has emphasized not only funding but also "human resource development" — passing on skills.

• Joining the Colombo Plan: In 1954 Japan was still rebuilding after the war. A country that was itself receiving aid joined the ranks of those supporting developing countries, mainly through technical cooperation.
• Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers: Launched in 1965, the program has sent volunteers to work alongside local people in agriculture, education, health care, and more. Since 2018, volunteers of all age groups have been collectively called "JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers," and as of the end of March 2026, about 58,000 people had been dispatched to a total of 99 countries.

International Cooperation Tidbits

• What ODA is: Official Development Assistance is financial and technical cooperation by governments for the economic and social development of developing countries. Besides infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and airports, it includes accepting trainees and dispatching experts.
• Events around this day: "Global Festa JAPAN," a large event introducing international cooperation, is held around this day most years.

Facts About International Cooperation

• Appropriate technology: Rather than bringing in cutting-edge technology as is, choosing technology that can be maintained and repaired with local materials and skills — an important idea for sustainable development.
• Human security: Put forward in the UN Development Programme's 1994 Human Development Report, this concept focuses on protecting the lives and dignity of individuals, not just states. It is one of the pillars of Japan's diplomacy.
• The SDGs: Adopted by the UN in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals set 17 goals with a 2030 deadline, covering poverty, hunger, education, climate change, and more.
• Fair trade: A system of paying producers in developing countries fair prices. Choosing fair-trade certified coffee or chocolate is an everyday form of international cooperation.

Ideas for International Cooperation Day

• Look up the countries and projects Japan supports on JICA's website.
• Try buying fair-trade products.
• Ask someone who has worked overseas what it was like.
• Even when you're busy, lend a hand to a coworker who is struggling.

A Day to Widen the Circle of Support

October 6 is the day Japan, still in the midst of postwar recovery, also became a supporter of developing countries. International cooperation may sound distant, but it connects to everyday choices such as buying fair-trade goods and helping people around us. Today, take a moment to think about your connection with the world.