Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Friday that Japan will provide $450 million to international trust funds to promote the reconstruction of Iraq and disburse 2 billion yen to nongovernmental organizations.
Of the $450 million, $360 million will be provided to a fund managed by the U.N. Development Program and $90 million to a fund managed by the World Bank, she said.
A ministry official said it is hoped the aid will help strengthen international cooperation for Iraq's reconstruction and accelerate its rehabilitation.
The disbursement is part of Japan's pledge of $5 billion in aid for Iraq, including $1.5 billion in grants for 2004, between 2004 and 2007.
Kawaguchi said the government will also provide 2 billion yen to Japan Platform, an umbrella organization of humanitarian assistance groups.
Of that amount, 1.7 billion yen will be provided to help the aid groups' activities in such fields as welfare, health and education in Iraq, and the remaining 300 million yen for humanitarian assistance in areas other than Iraq, she said.