Financial Times

Wealth in Japan, poor

Japan is probably the biggest donor in the developing world but unlike other big donors there is very little public awareness about its global role.

Now under pressure from opposition parties and the Japanese public over the "need to know" how the taxpayers' money is being spent overseas, the government is preparing a new public relations exercise cum communications strategy on this issue.

"There are two issues here," notes Takashi Inoue, President and CEO of Inoue Public Relations Inc, a Japanese PR firm. "On one side people in the recipient countries are not adequately aware about Japanese donor aid while residents in Japan don't know where their money is being spent."

Inoue and Suzuki Yoshida, CEO of SUE International - Economic Development and Communications Consultants, are currently visiting Colombo to undertake a feasibility study in this connection on behalf of the Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC), the government's lending agency.

The assessment is also connected to Japan's financial contribution towards Sri Lanka's peace process.

Though JBIC's lending portfolio is larger than the ADB and half the size of the World Bank its role gets little recognition unlike the other two institutions.

"There is a need to make the people aware in receiving countries that the Japanese are hard workers and it's this hard-earned money that goes to developing countries. On the other hand, we need to tell the Japanese where and how their money is being spent overseas," Inoue said.

He said the Japanese are poor communicators and lack public relations skills resulting in little or no recognition of its role as a donor while many countries - providing much less money - were far ahead on the recognition scale.

The two-member PR team plans to prepare a feasibility study for JBIC by October on an effective PR and communications strategy. Their trip has been facilitated by ad agency, Minds FCB.