*11

Since 1954, Japan has accepted more than 160,000 trainees. The geographic distribution of trainees accepted during fiscal 1997 (totaling 7,263 persons from 152 countries and regions) is as follows: 6,214 from Asia (50.6% of total), 2,381 from Latin America (19.4%), 1,046 from the Middle East (8.5%), and 1,602 from Africa (13%). Distribution by field is as follows: 2,440 in human resources development (19.9% of total), 2,340 in planning and administration (19.1%), 2,049 in public and public-sector enterprises (16.7%), 1,971 in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (16%), 1,398 in health and medical services (11.4%), and 991 in mining (8.1%).