World Bank, JICA, ADB Advance Evidence-Based Development at Tokyo LEADS

The World Bank Group, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), convened senior government officials, researchers and operational teams in Tokyo from 26–29 January 2026 to accelerate the integration of real-time evidence and adaptive learning into development projects.

The four-day Tokyo LEADS (Learn. Adapt. Scale.) forum marked a major step in embedding data-driven decision-making directly into project implementation, enabling governments to test solutions, adjust strategies mid-course and scale proven interventions more effectively.

Closing the Gap Between Intention and Impact

Hosted at the World Bank Tokyo office, the event forms part of the broader LEADS initiative led by the World Bank's Development Economics Vice Presidency (DEC). The initiative is designed to bridge the persistent gap between policy ambition and measurable development outcomes.

"At its core, LEADS is about closing the gap between intention and impact," said Arianna Legovini, Director of Development Impact (DIME) at the World Bank Group, during opening remarks.

Rather than relying solely on upfront project design, the LEADS model embeds evidence and adaptive learning throughout the project lifecycle — allowing governments to refine implementation strategies in response to real-time data.

As global challenges grow more complex — from urbanization and climate pressures to health system strain and fiscal constraints — development projects increasingly require mechanisms to learn and adjust during delivery.

Governments Redesign Projects in Real Time

Tokyo LEADS brought together country teams to work hands-on with technical experts to refine operational projects across multiple sectors:

• Indonesia (Infrastructure): Officials collaborated with transport specialists to strengthen impact measurement and evaluation frameworks for mass transit systems in Bandung and Medan, two rapidly urbanizing cities grappling with congestion and emissions challenges.

• Bhutan (Health): Government representatives worked to design a new scheme to improve the management and monitoring of chronically ill patients, aiming to enhance long-term care efficiency and health outcomes.

• Uzbekistan (Governance): Tax officials partnered with experts to assess the impact of recent service sector tax reforms and quantify fiscal losses associated with implementation gaps.

By combining operational design with rigorous impact evaluation tools, the event enabled participating countries to integrate learning mechanisms directly into ongoing reforms.

Infrastructure Research Highlights Growth Link

Tokyo LEADS also showcased new global research on infrastructure investment and economic transformation.

Stefan Straub, the World Bank's Chief Economist for Infrastructure, presented a newly developed global dataset on infrastructure stocks and costs. His findings indicate that countries achieving high-income status typically accumulate transport capital at a rate exceeding overall economic growth — reshaping economic structures and productivity patterns over time.

The research underscores the importance of not only investing in infrastructure, but ensuring that investments are efficient, evidence-based and aligned with long-term growth trajectories.

Building Systems That Improve Themselves

LEADS emphasizes strengthening both individual capacity and institutional systems so that governments can continuously improve performance.

Experience from recent LEADS workshops across Africa, Europe and South Asia demonstrates measurable results, including:

• Faster project implementation

• Identification of millions of dollars in efficiency gains

• Improved targeting and service delivery outcomes

By fostering collaboration across multilateral institutions and national governments, Tokyo LEADS reinforced the shift toward adaptive development — where projects are treated not as fixed blueprints but as learning systems capable of evolving in response to evidence.

Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank, addressed participants virtually, highlighting the importance of institutional learning in maximizing development impact.

Scaling What Works

By convening expertise from the World Bank Group, JICA, ADB and participating governments, Tokyo LEADS strengthened cross-institutional collaboration and advanced the use of embedded evidence in operations.

Organizers emphasized that the goal is not simply better evaluation, but smarter delivery — ensuring that development investments generate durable results at scale.

As development challenges intensify, initiatives like LEADS aim to equip governments with the tools to learn faster, adapt more effectively and maximize the impact of scarce public resources.