The Japan Development Institute (JDI) is an independent think tank/consulting firm, specialized in international development. It was first established in 1982 as the World Consultant Service (WCS) and later changed its name as JDI after merging with the think tank of the Institution of Engineering Consulting Firms Association, Japan (ECFA) in 1997. With its distinguished experts from numerous disciplines and the network with its associate institutions and experts in the world, JDI provides a broad range of consulting services in the field of development, carries out practical studies, and proposes concrete projects and strategies.

Vision
The Japanese development consulting sector was started by technical experts who supported the ODA funded compensation projects after the War which mainly dealt with constructing bridges, hospitals, and roads. This trend of having more technical developments than social developments has not changed much until today. However, nowadays, it is more important to strengthen the social development area in poor developing countries, such as projection of private sector development strategies, awareness-raising of the leaders, stabilization of private sectors, improvement in the environment of capital investment, reformation of laws and organizations, and capacity development. JDI was established in the beginning of 1980s to strengthen this social development area that Japanese consulting sectors seems to have a disadvantage. In fact, we have succeeded in building social development strategies and plans, and in operating SEZs by directly dealing with the top leaders and calling in private investments in more than 30 countries. By taking advantages of these experiences, JDI will further improve to be the “Only One” doctor for countries by taking their stance and examining their problems carefully.

Mission
Most of the developing countries are incapable of attracting private investments because they often have internal major problems, such as unstable politics, a lack of capacity in their leaders, and insufficient infrastructures. From JDI’s 28-year-experiences, we are confident to say that there will be no development without private investments. Therefore, JDI’s mission is to correct and improve the problems and make a condition to attract private investors by undertaking every step from proposing a developmental plan to attract enterprises necessary to make a concrete result. To accomplish this, it is important to change the country leader’s recognition to the current state and make him/her acknowledge that the source of development is to create employments for the poor by attracting private investments. JDI has already had a talk with the leaders of more than 10 countries and leaving a large accomplishment. It is our mission to improve this method and further contribute ourselves for countries to get out from the poverty.