In Spring 2018, JCIE launched a program on Expanding Support for Democratic Governance which aims to engage Japanese leaders and policymakers in dialogue over how Japan and its partners can strengthen democratic governance in Asia and around the world.

Based on a survey of the field, this report provides background on Japan’s support for democracy-related projects, including trends in its official development assistance and information about the context in which Japanese policymakers operate. This includes coverage of some of the historical background and the various views concerning Japan’s engagement with democracy-related issues. It also analyzes recent developments in Japanese politics, government, and civil society, and provides concrete examples of the work already being done by Japanese government and civil society actors in democracy-related areas including, judicial support, peacebuilding, and women’s empowerment. Finally, it offers some suggestions of potential next steps for Japan to expand its support for democratic governance in the world.