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Japan's Humanitarian Assistance, Assistance to Neighboring Countries and Reconstruction Assistance

25 March 2003

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1. Humanitarian assistance and refugee assistance

(1) Technical cooperation on health sector:

A medical professional team has been dispatched to the Arab Republic of Syria by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to provide technical cooperation to strengthen the emergency medical care system in the Hassake National Hospital located near the border with Iraq. The first group dispatched consists of five experts (medical doctor, nurse, pharmacists etc.), who left Japan on 21 March, arrived in Hassake on 24 March. They are scheduled to be engaged in their activities until 1 April, and are expected to return to Japan on 3 April.

(2) Assistance provided through Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs):

Approximately US$ 3.3 million (approximately 400 million yen) was disbursed as assistance for the emergency medical activities of NGOs under the Japan Platform [joint team (Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) and Peace Winds Japan (Northern Iraq)].

(3) Assistance through international organizations

  • Funds necessary for advance procurement of material and structure building: The decision has been made to disburse approximately US$ 5.03 million (approximately 600 million yen) to the following three international organizations: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (Announcement of 20 March)
  • Funds necessary for full scale humanitarian assistance activities: Once the consolidated appeal by the United Nations is issued, Japan will promptly consider the appeal and make a decision on Japan's contribution.

(4) Humanitarian assistance activities based on the International Peace Cooperation Law
The following activities are currently being considered as assistance for the UNHCR.

  • Provision and transport of material: Sufficient tents will be provided to house approximately 1,600 refugees. These will be transported by Self-Defense Force aircraft.
  • Dispatch of a medical team: A medical team comprising doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other specialists will be dispatched to a refugee camp in a country neighboring Iraq.

2. Assistance to Neighboring Countries and others

(1) Jordan: grant assistance in the amount of US$ 100 million (approximately 12 billion yen, consisting of 6 billion yen in non-project grant aid and approximately 6 billion yen in project grant aid and others, is scheduled to be implemented) will be extended to Jordan to alleviate the enormous economic impact that will arise from the situation in Iraq. (Announcement of 23 March)

(2) Palestinian Refugees: approximately US$ 4.2 million (500 million yen) in food aid (wheat flour) will be provided to Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

(3) Assistance to neighboring countries will be considered depending on the future developments of the situation.

3. Rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance

Consideration will be given to taking the necessary measures so that Japan can positively contribute to the international efforts that will be made for rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance and humanitarian assistance in Iraq in the future.

4. Total Japanese assistance measures

A total of approximately US$ 112.53 million (approximately 13.5 billion yen) will be provided, as outlined in 1. and 2. above.

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