*9 The Number of New Cases of Polio

The annual global incidence of polio has dropped from approximately 35,000 cases in 1988 to approximately 3,200 cases in 1998. Japan has identified East Asia and the Pacific region as priority areas for assistance in polio control. Since fiscal 1993, Japan has implemented assistance totaling approximately ¥2.8 billion for providing polio vaccines, cold chain portable refrigerator for vaccines storage, and diagnostic and monitoring equipment. (This assistance amounts to approximately 35% of all assistance provided to these regions in the fight against polio.) As a result of these efforts, polio has been almost totally eliminated from these regions.