Cultural Grant Aid for the Judo Federation of Senegal

March 28, 2001

The Government of Japan has decided to extend a cultural grant aid of up to 41.6 million yen to the Republic of Senegal to enable the country's Judo Federation to purchase judo equipment (tatami mats, judo wear, etc.). Notes to this effect were exchanged on March 27 (Japan time: 28) in Dakar between Mr. Akihiko Furuya, Japanese Ambassador to Senegal, and Mr. Makhtar Diop, Minister of Economy and Finance of Senegal.
The Judo Federation of Senegal, whose main activities are to teach and popularize judo in the country, supervise judo schools, trainers and judoists in Senegal. Since its establishment in 1961, the Federation has maintained close relations with the Japanese judo organizations and has been playing an important role in promoting sporting and cultural exchanges between Japan and Senegal; for example, the Japan Foundation has dispatched judo experts to Senegal eight times, and the Japanese Ambassador's Cup tournaments have been held every year. The Federation now wishes to purchase new judo equipment but is hampered by budgetary constraints.
Under such circumstances, the Government of Senegal has requested cultural grant aid from the Government of Japan for the funding necessary to purchase judo equipment for the Federation.

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