Press Releases

1. On August 15, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency grand aid of 1.5 million US dollars (approximately 145 million Japanese yen) through the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Ebola virus disease outbreak response in West African countries including the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Liberia and the Republic of Guinea.

2. The Ebola virus disease which was initially reported in the Republic of Guinea this March spread to the neighboring countries such as the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Liberia. As of August 11, 1,975 cases including suspected ones and 1,069 deaths were confirmed. The infection is spreading so rapidly that further immediate countermeasures are required.

3. The Government of Japan already extended emergency grant aid of 0.52 million US dollars (approximately 50.4 million Japanese yen) in response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Republic of Guinea this April. In addition, upon the requests from West African countries, WHO, UNICEF and IFRC, the Government of Japan decided to extend this grant in view of humanitarian needs as well as the friendly relationship between Japan and West African countries.