National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) had the Training Program for Vice Minister Level Officials of Lao PDR from December 11 to December 20, 2017.

In response to the request from the Party Central Committee for Organization and Personnel of Lao PDR for leadership training for vice minister level executives, this training was carried out with the support by Japanese Embassy in Lao PDR and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

In this program, participants attended a series of lectures given by Senior Professor Masahiro Horie, Director of Executive Development Center for Global Leadership, serving as a coordinator of this program, Professor Hirofumi Takada, Senior Professor Keiichi Tsunekawa, Professor Tetsushi Sonobe, and Assistant Professor Yusuke Takagi. Through the lectures participants learned a wide range of subjects, including Government, Politics and Public Administration, Process and Actors of Government Policy Making, Implementation and Evaluation, Government Reform and Innovation, Local Government System and Organization, Leadership in the Government, Modernization and Development Strategies and Strategic Partnership.

On the fourth day, the delegation had a courtesy visit at Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), and had a briefing on Regional Development and Revitalization of Local Economy. Many participants were interested in the topic and asked their questions to deepen their knowledge.

On December 17 and 18, the delegation visited Kyoto city and Toyota city. In Kyoto, they visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkaku-ji to see the traditional Japanese architecture and the history and culture coexisting Shinto and Buddhism. With guidance kindly offered by the Kyoto City Zoo, they visited Kyoto City Zoo where they saw Asian elephants donated by Lao PDR.

In the next morning, the delegation visited the Tsutsumi Plant of Toyota Motor Corporation to see the process of assembly of the car in a factory where various robots together with a few people work very efficiently. Visiting Toyota City Government in the afternoon they had a briefing about the financial situation, budgeting system, personnel management and organization management of the city as a specific example of local governments. Also, they listened to the story of local government’s unique efforts toward creating an environmentally friendly city, while observing “Toyota Ecoful Town”. The delegation was welcomed on every visit and they had a very good experience.

On December 19, the last day of the training at GRIPS, supplementary lectures including Q&A session was given as a wrap-up by Professor Horie. There are many opinions from the members including the wish of site visits in municipalities and the desire to hold similar training in the future again. In the completion ceremony, a certificate of completion was awarded to each trainee. In the evening, a reception was held jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA, and many guests gathered together to meet the delegation.

On the next day, December 20, the delegation visited JICA headquarters and exchanged frank opinions on future cooperation between Japan and Lao PDR. After that, they were invited to the lunch by the Japan-Lao Parliamentary Friendship League, and deepened relationship with Members of Parliament. In the afternoon they made a courtesy visit to Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kono, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make a report on this training. The training group completed 10 days schedule and returned home on December 21.