Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledged $1 billion in new aid for education and health care in Africa at the opening Monday of a major donor conference for the continent.
The funds, to be dispersed over five years, will go toward building schools, supplying drinking water and expanding vaccinations.
The announcement opened three days of talks at a Tokyo conference on fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development in Africa.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.