日本從1979年開始對中國實施政府開發援助至2009年，金額累計達209.77億美元，占所有對中國援助國家資金的60%以上，日本為對中國的最大援助國，中國也是日本對外援助的第二大受援國（僅次於印尼）。在日本援助投入的建設比較有代表性為：京秦鐵路、南昆鐵路、北京市地鐵、北京首都機場、上海浦東機場、武漢長江第二大橋、北京市污水處理廠、環境示範城市（重慶、大連、貴州）等。 本文發現，日本的援助理念與歐美各國不太一樣，美國的援助是以安全保障及戰略為考量為主，對中東許多國家來進行軍事援助，一旦這些受援國家發生政變，即自動立刻停止援助。英、法兩國的援助則偏向由以前殖民從屬的關係上來考量。日本的援助理念主要著眼於人道立場的考量及各國相互依存的關係。日圓貸款開始是以公共工程基礎建設為主，尤其以鐵路、港口等運輸設施為多，其次為能源、 農業、通信等，而且不同於日本對其他國家之日圓貸款以每年審核為主，日本對中國之日圓貸款則是一次決定多年間之貸放金額。到2000年開始受到日本本身政黨輪替，以及中國發展軍事等因素影響，轉而偏向幫助中國解決中西部地區的環保以及農業問題。 對中國經濟發展方面來看，日本對中國提供政府開發援助，有助於促進中國的經濟發展、對外開放、及改善投資環境。特別是在能源、資源等的基礎產業、交通、通訊、運輸及環境保護方面等的大部分大型建設計畫，都是援助的項目，同時日圓貸款更是中國經濟建設不可或缺的重要資金來源。對日本在東亞國際政治經濟發展而言，日本對中國開發援助，不但有利於日本企業的商品在中國進出，間接促進日本企業對中國投資，加深中日兩國經濟互動，也同時促進兩國之間的民間交流，改善兩國的政治關係。 / The Japanese government began to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) to China in 1979. By 2009, Japan had given China a cumulative total of US$20,977 million in ODA, accounting for over 60% of all ODA received by China from other countries during this period, making Japan China’s largest source of foreign aid. Japan has given more ODA to China than to any other foreign country except Indonesia. The present study shows that Japan’s attitude towards foreign aid is significantly different from that displayed by the U.S. or the European nations. The selection of recipients of foreign aid by the U.S. government is mainly motivated by strategic and security considerations. For example, many countries in the Middle East have received U.S. aid at one time or another, but a regime change in a recipient nation can lead to the cessation of U.S. aid. Foreign aid granted by the U.K. and France tends to be directed towards countries that were formerly British or French colonies. By contrast, the main focus in Japan’s ODA policy appears to be on humanitarian issues and on the granting of aid to countries with which Japan has a mutually beneficial relationship. Japan’s provision of ODA to China helped to stimulate economic growth in China, encouraged China to open up more to the outside world, and contributed to the improvement in the investment environment in China. A high percentage of large-scale infrastructure projects in China – particularly in “basic industries” such as energy and natural resource extraction, but also in the transportation, communications, transportation and environmental sectors – have benefited from Japanese ODA, while Yen-denominated loans constituted a vital source of funding for China’s economic construction. From Japan’s point of view, the granting of ODA to China by Japan not only helped to facilitate Japanese exports to (and imports from) China, indirectly encourage Japanese firms to invest in China, and strengthen bilateral economic ties between Japan and China, it also served to promote an intensification of interchange between the two countries’ citizens, and to bring about an improvement in bilateral relations at the governmental level.