Japan pledged Wednesday to provide aid to finance construction of 1,000 new schools in Africa with a total of 5,500 classrooms over the next five years, setting a key numerical target ahead of planned major international conferences later this year.

The project will benefit some 400,000 children, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said in a speech at an international symposium on education in Tokyo.

Japan also plans to provide training for 300,000 math and science teachers across the world, including 100,000 in Africa, Komura said.