Japan International Cooperation Agency

Understanding and addressing the challenges of ecosystem service supply-demand (ESSD) balance and spatial equity are critical for promoting sustainable development and achieving regional coordination in border regions. This study focuses on 25 border counties in Yunnan Province, examining the supply-demand dynamics of ecosystem services (ESs) under different urban expansion patterns. It employs the Gini coefficient to quantify the equity of ESSD, highlighting differences in ESSD balance and equity between port and non-port counties. The findings indicate that border counties generally exhibit an ESSD surplus, but counties with higher urbanization levels have lower ecosystem service (ES) supply. Regarding spatial equity, port counties consistently show lower equity in ES distribution compared to non-port counties, suggesting significant ecological equity challenges in port counties amid economic growth pursuits. Furthermore, certain urban expansion patterns, particularly adjacent-type expansion (e.g., infilling and edge-expansion), exacerbate ESSD imbalances and reduce spatial equity. Analysis of driving factors reveals that socioeconomic factors, especially increased urbanization rates, significantly negatively affect both the supply and equity of ESs. Based on these findings, the study recommends adopting tailored urban planning strategies that account for local characteristics, balancing the dual objectives of ecological conservation and sustainable development. • The urbanization process of border port and non-port counties differed. • The ESSD equity in port counties is significantly lower than in non-port counties. • Adjacent-type expansion worsens key ESSD balance and spatial equity loss. • Proposed targeted policy advice for sustainable development in border regions.

BackgroundThe Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare in Japan has published a meal-based dietary guideline (Healthy Meal); however, its relationship with health outcomes remains unclear. This observational study examined the association between adherence to Healthy Meal and all-cause and cause-specific mortalities.MethodsWe analyzed data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study (JPHC Study) with a mean follow-up of 19.0 years, including 40,222 men and 47,350 women aged 45–75 years with no history of cancer, stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic liver disease, or kidney disease. Adherence to Healthy Meal was scored using dietary intake from a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortalities across score quartiles.ResultsA higher Healthy Meal adherence score was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. The multivariable-adjusted HRs for the highest versus the lowest adherence group were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.82–0.91, P < 0.001 for trend) in men and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87–0.98, P = 0.005 for trend) in women. Significant associations with a lower risk of cerebrovascular disease and respiratory disease mortalities were observed in both sexes. In contrast, significant associations were observed for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease mortalities in men only.ConclusionHigher adherence to the Japanese meal-based dietary guideline was associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cerebrovascular disease, and respiratory disease mortalities in Japanese men and women, and cancer, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease mortalities in men only.

Tracking country-wide human resources for health (HRH) information is a milestone in the global strategy for HRH 2030, and digitalized HRH information systems have been recommended by the World Health Organization. However, the implementation status differs among countries, and most systematic reviews on this topic have been conducted in high-income countries. This scoping review aimed to identify (1) stages of implementation, (2) functional components, (3) facilitators and barriers, and (4) policy impacts or outcomes of digitalized HRH information systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The methodological framework of the Johanna Briggs Institute was used in this scoping review. English articles in two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) with publication dates ranging from inception to August 2023 were gathered, followed by a gray literature search and a reference search. Two author pairs independently performed the study selection. Data were extracted, analyzed, and presented in tabular form alongside a narrative summary. Forty studies and gray literature from 26 LMICs in Asia and Africa were included in the scoping review. Thirty-three studies and gray literature covered different stages of digitalized HRH information systems' implementation, including development, pilot, rollout, and maintenance. The HRH registry was the most common, whereas finances and migration were the least common functional components. Thirty-two studies and gray literature reported barriers and facilitators, stratified into four factors and stages. Many barriers were identified in organizational and environmental factors, especially in governance. Interoperability among multiple HRH information systems within a country is the key facilitator, where development partners play a critical role. Sixteen studies and gray literature from nine countries reported positive policy impacts/outcomes. Political commitment, strong national and subnational leadership, and coordination mechanisms among national stakeholders and development partners were key to gaining policy impact. Barriers and facilitators were common across the studies, and governance factors were particularly crucial at all stages of digitalization. Our stratified methodology for analyzing facilitators and barriers can serve as an analytical framework for evaluating HRH information systems in any country. Data on the private sector and migration could be further strengthened as system components.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the GROW-ME (Goal-Reality-Options-Will-Metacognitive Enhancement) training model in enhancing Japanese language proficiency, motivation, and self-efficacy among prospective Tokutei Ginou program participants, compared to traditional instruction methods. A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control groups was employed over 12 weeks. Fifty participants were randomly assigned to experimental (n=25) and control (n=25) groups. The experimental group achieved significantly higher Japanese proficiency scores (258.4±32.1) compared to controls (189.6±28.7; p&lt;0.001, Cohen's d=2.31). All skill components showed significant improvements: listening (68.2 vs 52.8), reading (65.8 vs 48.1), grammar (62.4 vs 45.2), and vocabulary (62.0 vs 43.5), all p&lt;0.001. Motivation increased from 5.2 to 6.1 in the experimental group versus 5.1 to 5.3 in controls (p=0.001). Self-efficacy improved substantially from 4.1 to 5.8 versus 4.0 to 4.4 (p&lt;0.001). Growth curve modeling revealed 9.4 points per week improvement in the experimental group compared to 3.9 points per week in controls. JLPT N4 achievement rates were 84% versus 32% respectively.This study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of an integrated coaching-based model (GROW-ME) combining metacognitive enhancement and cultural competency training for Japanese language acquisition in the Tokutei Ginou context. With extraordinarily large effect sizes (Cohen's d&gt;2.0) rarely observed in educational research, the findings establish that structured metacognitive development alongside language instruction produces superior outcomes compared to traditional methods. The model demonstrates a dual impact on both cognitive domains (language proficiency) and affective domains (motivation, self-efficacy), coupled with exceptional JLPT N4 achievement rates. This represents a paradigm shift in preparing foreign workers for Japanese employment contexts.

Electrohydrodynamic vortex architectures originating from polarization-surface-induced charge localization demonstrate significant interfacial augmentation capabilities in low Reynolds number (Re) laminar flow regimes. This study uses conductive plate arrays to systematically investigate the multiphysical coupling mechanisms that integrate spatially heterogeneous charge polarization patterns, vortex-induced electroconvective phenomena, and pressure-driven flow (PDF) transport across micronanofluidic interfaces. Results establish that optimal mixing performance arises from the dynamic equilibrium between PDF-induced inertial forces and electroosmotic slip velocities governed by induced zeta potentials. At low-PDF conditions, that is Re = 0.1, interplate array spacing and staggered configurations critically regulate vortex dynamics: reduced spacing amplifies localized electric field intensities and slip velocities, while horizontal offsets (D = 50 μm) generate asymmetric vortex coalescence, achieving nearly perfect mixing with a mixing index of 0.97. Vertical array spacing parameters (Lp = 60 μm) enhance chaotic advection through extended vortex perturbation domains, whereas rotational configurations (α = 30–40°) optimize interfacial deformation via bidirectional electrokinetic actuation. However, when Re increases to 5, high PDF suppresses electrokinetic-vortex coupling, reducing mixing performance to diffusion-limited levels. Parametric analysis identifies critical geometric thresholds for field asymmetry development, revealing that staggered arrays simultaneously minimize pressure intensification and maximize charge redistribution efficiency. This work establishes a mechanism framework for manipulating vortices through array-configured surface charges, advancing the understanding of microscale mass transfer under the combined action of electrohydrodynamic forces.

ABSTRACT This study used an interpretive research method to assess the effectiveness of policy reforms in ensuring safe migrant labour from Indonesia, a major sender of low‐skilled workers. The findings indicate that inadequate implementation infrastructure can exacerbate human rights abuses rather than prevent them. While the central government emphasises official protection mechanisms, local governments lack physical and human resources for effective implementation. Furthermore, structural dependence on market‐savvy sending agencies has emerged. The study suggests that Indonesia's labour migration policy needs to shift from a framework of detailed regulations to a flexible mechanism more in line with implementation capacity and market realities and recommends the establishment of public support centres, the standardisation of cost structures, the expansion of skills certification systems, and the strengthening of public‐private partnerships.

Urban transportation infrastructure remains underdeveloped in many low- and middle-income countries, while quantitative evidence on urban transport’s impact is limited. We examine the effect of the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Indonesia’s first urban railway project, on property values. Using a panel dataset of rents for commercial offices and residential apartments along the MRT line, we apply a difference-in-differences estimation to assess the impact of the MRT opening in a quasi-natural experimental setting. We find a negative and significant impact of the MRT opening on commercial office rents in areas close to MRT stations, while no significant impact is observed on residential apartments. We argue that the negative impact on commercial offices may be driven by oversupply of rental office properties. Our results suggest that property values may not necessarily increase with urban transit development, posing a challenge for practitioners pursuing transit-oriented development and land value capture financing for infrastructure.

We study constraints to pension participation using a randomized controlled trial and administrative records covering approximately 40% of Mongolian subdistricts. Our analysis reveals a reasonable increase in the pension contribution rate by providing information on a mobile payment option. We also find that information about foreign aid experts involved in the pension administration increases the contribution rate. These effects, amounting to around 10% of the mean, suggest that individuals’ perceived transaction costs and trust in the program influence their pension demand. Foreign aid seems to facilitate citizens’ participation in government programs by changing their perceptions of these services.

This study investigates the effects of neem-coated granular urea on nitrogen volatilization and leaching in maize (Zea mays L.), focusing on nutrient availability (NO3-N and NH4-N) in both normal and saline soils. The pot experiment was conducted in a glass-panelled wire house CRD design with three replications. The experimental treatments included T1 (control without fertilizer), T2 (0.05 % neem-coated granular urea @ 200 kg ha⁻¹ + recommended P and K), T3 (0.08 % neem-coated granular urea @ 200 kg ha⁻1 + recommended P and K), T4 (0.01 % neem-coated granular urea @ 200 kg ha-1 + recommended P and K), and T5 (recommended NPK: 200 kg N ha⁻¹, 90 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹, and 60 kg K₂O ha⁻¹). Soil samples were taken prior to planting, one month later, and following harvest in order to examine key chemical components. The results demonstrated that maize growth and nutrient uptake were significantly enhanced by T3 (0.08 % neem-coated urea). Under T3, there was an increase of 34.32 % in shoot length, 50.48 % in fresh weight, and 22.40 % in dry weight. There were notable increases in root length, fresh weight, and dry weight of 36.68 %, 21.32 %, and 46.53 %, respectively. Additionally, in comparison to the control, the T3 treatment increased the plant membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyll content, and nitrate retention by 21.32 %, 22.13 %, and 17.29 %, respectively. Treatment T3 enhanced potassium content, phosphorus absorption, and nitrogen concentration. According to data, applying 0.08 % neem-coated urea along with recommended levels of potassium and phosphate enhances maize growth, and overall crop productivity. This makes it a feasible substitute for long-term and effective fertilizer application in both normal and salinized soils.