A Message from the Chairman
The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) is an economic cooperation organization under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). For about half a century, it has been active as a training organization providing technical cooperation to developing countries and regions on a private sector basis. Since its establishment, AOTS has been steadily achieving excellent results all around the world with the understanding and support of METI, industry, academia as well as prefectural and municipal governments.
Developing countries, particularly those in Asia, have been achieving truly remarkable rates of development, and proactive direct investment in these countries by Japanese companies has been one of the factors behind this. In the process of such investment, engineers and managers at local factories and offices of Japanese-affiliated companies have been greatly nurtured and developed. It goes without saying that the progress of technology transfer through such continued efforts has been playing an important role.
AOTS undertakes training projects aimed at engineers and managers mainly from developing countries as technical cooperation projects implemented in collaboration with both the public and private sectors. It also provides support for industrial and economic development in these countries through the smooth transfer of technology and, by extension, strives to promote friendly relations between those countries and Japan.
At the same time, the recent development of countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia has become a driving force that is currently giving rise to a long-term economic boom in Japan. In other words, one has to say that the economic cooperation implemented jointly by Japan's public and private sectors is, in a roundabout way, leading to a boom in the Japanese economy. Amidst the globalization of the growing economy, private sector companies are further expanding their overseas deployment. The increased promotion of technological cooperation on a private sector basis resulting from this means that the projects undertaken by AOTS have an increasingly important role to play.
Responding to changes in the economy and society, there is an immense need for Japanese advanced technology and management techniques, to enable developing countries to achieve sustainable development. Meeting this need is the responsibility of Japan as one of the world's top economic powers, and is indeed expected of Japan by the international community.
AOTS is determined to continue to contribute to economic cooperation activities that are in keeping with the changing times, and to do its utmost in order to fulfill its mission at home and overseas as an organization providing technical cooperation to developing countries and regions. To this end, we would like to request your continued support and cooperation.
