Article Abstract:
Japan is the second biggest aid donor in the world, second only to the United States. It has consistently doubled its Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget in its five-year plans, and is expected to do the same in the 1993-97 plan. However, critics think that Japan should give more because it is only spending 0.31% of its GNP for aid compared to 0.35% on the average for the world's top donors. Other areas for improvement are suggested, such as clarifying the aims of the ODA, giving more aid in the form of grants instead of loans and allotting a greater share to social and environmental projects.
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Article Abstract:
Avant garde arts group Zuni Icosahedron has grown into a political force in Hong Kong. The group has been associated with politically risque shows, dealing mainly with the impending Hong Kong-China reunification. Because of the attention it has received, the group is now able to influence arts policy and was a major player in the comprehensive review of art policies conducted in 1991.
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Article Abstract:
Both the Liberal Democratic Party's loss of a majority in the Jul 18, 1993, election and the low voter turnout of 67.3% signal a period of change in Japanese politics. Three new conservative-reformist parties emerged, and there is no certainty about the role that each will play in forming a coalition government. The selection of the leader of the new government is also undecided.
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