Assistance for Travel Expenses for the Iraqi National Football Team to Participate in a Friendly Match

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February 9, 2004

1. As a part of cultural assistance to Iraq, the Government of Japan has decided to provide approximately 10 million yen as travel expenses to the Iraqi national football team through the Japan Foundation, enabling the team to travel to Japan to take part in an international friendly match with the Japan national team. The match is scheduled to be hosted by the Japan Football Association (JFA) on Thursday, February 12, 2004.
   
   
2. In order that the match can be seen by as many of the Iraqi populace as possible, the Government of Japan is providing assistance to the Iraq Media Network (IMN) to enable a simultaneous broadcast. Members of the Lebanese company Future Satellite TV, currently visiting Japan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will also be provided with assistance to take footage of the match.
   
   (Note)
   In November 2003, as a part of assistance to Iraq in the area of sports including football, the GOV of Japan provided transportation expenses for secondhand football equipment that had been donated by the JFA to the Iraq Football Association. Under the scheme of the grant assistance for cultural grassroots projects (approximately 1.8 million yen).