Abstract: This study explain changes of motivation in Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Indonesia from the one motivated by economic interest to the one motivated by strategic interest in defense and security. This transformation is to some extent in line with the international norms embedded in the giving of aid such as human rights, democracy and human development. It is argued that the changes are not only influenced by domestic factors in the donor country but also international factors in the relationship between the donor and recipient countries. Those are the focus of this study. Japan’s position as a developed country that has important role in international relations, made it consequently vulnerable to international influence in its Foreign policy, especially those related to economic cooperation with other countries. Furthermore, this study raises the questions of what motivate Japan to pursue strategic purposes related to defense security issues in its ODA policy to Indonesia. And how Indonesia response to the strategic purposes of Japan’s ODA.