Japan Ministry to Seek 13.6 Pct Rise in ODA Budget

Tokyo, Aug. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese Foreign Ministry will request 500.6 billion yen in budget outlays for official development assistance in fiscal 2009 starting next April, up 13.6 pct from the previous year, informed sources told Jiji Press on Thursday.

In line with the government's pledge to double ODA to Africa by 2012, the ministry intends to substantially expand food and grant aid to theregion.

The ministry also plans to seek budgetary spending to open six newembassies, including ones in Kyrgyzstan and Rwanda.

The ministry will also call for increasing personnel by some 200.

The ministry's budget request will total 747.1 billion yen, up 10.0pct.

Of the ODA budget request, grant aid is up some 10 pct to 174.8 billion yen, of which aid for environmental programs is up 2.6-fold to 4billion yen. Food assistance is up about 24 pct to 15.3 billion yen.

Subsidies to the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which provides technical support to developing countries, are up some 7 pct to163.8 billion yen.

In fiscal 2008, Japan's overall ODA budget, including the amount earmarked for other ministries, dropped for the ninth consecutive year amidthe government's fiscal reconstruction efforts.

For fiscal 2009, the government's economic and fiscal policyguidelines called for a 2-4 pct reduction in the ODA budget.