The Japan Times today launches its 47th yearend charity fundraising campaign, which lasts through Dec. 31. The money raised will be used to help people in need in Asia.

Last year, readers contributed 3,549,210 yen to The Japan Times Readers' Fund. The Japan Times thanks them for their generosity.

About 57 percent of the money was used to help education-related projects in Afghanistan. Out of the contributions, 1,549,210 yen went to the Kyoto-based Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development to fund a program to repair buildings and buy supplies for schools in and around Herat, Afghanistan.

The Tokyo-based Japan Emergency Team received 500,000 yen for a project to provide school supplies and other needs for schoolchildren in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Money from the fund also went to the Friendly Asian Home in Tokyo, PAG-ASA Group Japan and Cambodian House. Each of them received 500,000 yen.

The FAH used the money help needy people from other parts of Asia living in Japan to receive medical treatment, especially for infectious diseases, and deal with other difficulties of lving here.

The PAG-ASA Group has been helping Philippine street children to receive compulsory education, and providing funds for vocational training of the country's children.

Cambodian House, run by the Rev. Fumio Goto of the Catholic Kichijoji Church in Tokyo, has been building schools in Cambodia.

The Japan Times is appealing to its readers for contributions to the fund for humanitarian assistance.

Donations will be accepted Monday through Friday betweenn 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at The Japan Times Tokyo head office (4-5-4 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0023) and its Osaka office (Edobori KN Bldg., 1-25-29 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka 550-0002).

Contributions payable to The Japan Times Readers' Fund may be mailed to either office. For inquiries, please call (03) 3453-5312. The Japan Times, Ltd.