Progress of the Study to Date

i) 2002 Basic Research (C) “Planning Research for ‘Conflict and Development: Understanding and Cooperation in International Development for Peace Building’ Study” (representative for the research: Yasunobu Sato) We began preparing for the Peace Building Study with a \3.4million grant. In the area of basic research (C), we have been preparing an interdisciplinary research project, which we feel would be of great advantage in practical terms, working toward the following objectives: seeking the potential for development cooperation which establishes a system that examines the relationship between conflict and development, removes the cause of terrorism and armed conflict, and handles conflict in a peaceful manner; strengthening the doctrines necessary for promotion of understanding in international development cooperation and peace building from the viewpoint of Asia. We have been also sorting out the relationships between international institutions and international NGOs based on three important concepts, “development assistance”, “humanitarian assistance” and “peace building”.

Since, considering the scope of the issue, it is difficult to conduct substantial research within the budget, this basic research (C) is positioned as preparatory research and study from an international point of view. To conduct full-scale research, it is essential for the research to hold an interdiscipline character, which covers each field of the social sciences, such as politics, economics, society, law, culture and information, while having a compound eye toward internationality and regionality. Moreover, since our goals are to contribute in actual practice, it is also necessary to carry out joint international research studies with those working-level persons who are not from any research bodies, but are actually involved in implementing development assistance.

As preparation for this large project, the following four things were accomplished: (1) sorting out the concepts, (2) collect information, (3) strengthening of the partnerships between international institutions and NGOs, (4) holding of workshops from various viewpoints. In the research group called “conflict and development” the following workshops have been held so far. “Conflict in Mideast and Central Asia-Development and Environmental Conservation of Caspian Sea Resources” by Hisae Nakanishi, “Conflict and Development” by Yasunobu Sato, “Status of Post-conflict Restoration in Former Yugoslavia and the approach from Japan’s ODA” by Tsuyoshi Ohira, and “International Peace Research Association (IPRA) and Irenology Trends” by Katsuya Kodama.

Strengthening of the partnerships between international institutions and international NGOs were also sought in this preliminary research and we have contacted the following institutions and groups so far.

(1) Network of Research Bodies and International Academic Societies

In Japan, we have networked with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), the Hiroshima Peace Institute, the Institute for Peace Science of Hiroshima University and the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO). Outside of Japan, we have connected with the Kennedy school of Harvard University and the National University of Singapore. As for international academic societies, IRPA and the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) have close ties with us.

(2) Networking with Domestic Government Agencies

Regarding partnerships with domestic government agencies, we have networked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP), the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA), the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) and the Japan Forum on International Relations, Inc. (JFIR).

(3) Networking with International Institutions

We also have been strengthening relations with international institutions. The institutions that are assumed to be particularly important in this study are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO), the World Bank and the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD).

(4) Networking with International NGOs

Collaboration with international NGOs is also important. We have been regularly exchanging information with International Alert, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, the Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC), the Peace Foundation of Switzerland and UNHCR Iran (Tehran). Their cooperation is expected in the course of the study.

A fruitful result is to be expected by making full use of these networks.

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ii) 2001 Research (in germinating level) “Poverty and Laws” (representative of the research: Yasunobu Sato) With a 1.9 million yen budget, this research seeks to find a way to organically relate consolidation of the legal system as a means of handling conflict in peace and poverty, which come from social inequality and rejection which are structural causes of conflict. The initial objective was to critically consider the objectives and means of recent practical assistance in development of legal systems in the course of development assistance in an attempt to reconstruct the theoretical paradigm of “Development and Laws” to make practical suggestions from the viewpoint of poverty alleviation. While theoretically researching the concept of poverty and laws, and the relationships between them in an interdisciplinary manner in the ten workshops held so far, we have carried out case studies in Cambodia, Tanzania, China and Vietnam. As a result, the necessity of diverse standards and respect for various senses of values became increasingly clear. This can be defined as basic research in development for peace consideration, conflict prevention and recurrence prevention. Social norms and common laws which have been less emphasized are important themes in the research of development and conflict.

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iii) The Scientific Research Fund of 1999 and 2000 The basic research study, (C) the “Function of Non Government Organizations in Refugee problems” Survey Research (by Katsuya Kodama), was conducted with a 4.3 million yen budget. This research focused on NGOs for refugee support and reveals a variety of organizations and their activities. It particularly digs into the activities of the JVC. Survey items were: the outline of the group, its features, details of its activities and budget. The research also cites the cross relationship between NGOs, refugees and autonomous communities, but only mentions NGOs that are based in Japan, and did not study or comparatively investigate the status abroad. Our study is to extend this research to international NGOs and aggressively associate it with the issues of development and conflict.

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iv) The members of this study group have been actively forming various research groups of “conflict and development” problems, but the “Conflicts and Development” Symposium held on March 26, 2002, where the core members of our study group participated, marks an especially important development in the process. Conflict and development were discussed, inviting former U.N. Undersecretary General, Mr.Yasushi Akashi and Mr. Hisashi Owada, former U.N. Ambassador and current professor of the Graduate School of Waseda University. From our study group, Yasunobu Sato became the coordinator and Hisae Nakanishi and Katsuya Kodama became panelists to exchange opinions in seeking ways of development with a broad view of conflict. (Just before the symposium, from March 21 to 24, Yasunobu Sato had been participating in the “Justice for Peace” Symposium co-hosted by the National University of Singapore and the Kennedy School of Harvard University, on behalf of Mr.Owada. He sought assistance for our study there.) The issues raised by such experienced persons as Mr.Akashi and Mr.Owada, became highly important aspects in the prepartion of our study. As with them, our desired future goals were to seek ways to theoretically relate practical issues. Our study project turned out to be more specific.

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v) Holding the series of GSID seminars also had a great influence on our project study. The following are those seminars which were planned and run by Yasunobu Sato, our study’s representative, and Hisae Nakanishi, Shigeru Otsubo, Tatsuhiko Sakurai and Tsuyoshi Ohira with the help of volunteer students, for the purpose of exploring the interrelationships between development and conflict. Each seminar in the series was sponsored by public funds from the Foreign Ministry or Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and donations from private sectors.

Our projects for our study are based on these study groups.

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vi) Mr.Kodama addressed this research in “Establishing a New Popular Organization Focusing on International Non Government Organization within the United Nations” (research representative: Katsuya Kodama) in 1997 and 1999 with a Toyota Foundation grant of 6 million yen. Researching the activities of international NGOs in relation to the U.N. Millennium Summit and their method of addressing the Hague Appeal for Peace Conference was an empirical approach. The research uncovered the movements of the World Citizens Assembly, People's Congress, World Congress of Organizations for a Peaceful Earth and the U.N. Parliamentary Assembly. This research of international NGOs is also highly significant for our study in terms of disclosing their roles in development and conflict. Needless to say, international NGOs are becoming key actors in development and conflict, so we must give great attention to them. The accumulation of this kind of research is necessary for our study.