Japan to vow $18 bil. for IT support, infectious diseases

0 Comments | Asian Political News, July 17, 2000

TOKYO, July 12 Kyodo

Japan will promise to provide a total of $18 billion to developing countries to help them tackle the so-called "digital divide" and combat infectious diseases, government sources said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori will announce the two initiatives as early as Friday and brief his Group of Eight (G-8) counterparts on them at the July 21-23 G-8 summit in Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, the sources said.

The promotion of information technology (IT) and measures against infectious diseases will be high on the agenda at the summit.

Japan will extend $15 billion to bridge the digital divide, the gap in IT availability between developed and developing countries, and $3 billion to help developing countries fight diseases such as AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and polio over the next five years, the sources said.

In the government's cooperation plan on international problems regarding the digital divide, Japan will support legislation and policy planning in developing countries on the spread of IT and measures against cybercrimes, and help training more than 10,000 IT engineers and policy-makers in the next five years, they said.

The plan also articulates Japan's support in establishing infrastructures for communication networks in poor countries, the sources said.

Japan will also help developing countries develop IT-related human resources by setting up bases in 30 locations as a first step.

In providing financial assistance, Japan will cooperate with such international organizations as the World Bank, the U.N. Development Program and International Telecommunication Union, they said.

The country will also convert a center of the semigovernmental Japan International Cooperation Agency in Okinawa Prefecture into a base for sending information related to development and conducting remote education utilizing the Internet, they said.

In the government's plan to combat infectious diseases, Japan will promote training for personnel and research activities and also support cooperation among developing countries.

The plan aims to improve public health in those countries by providing drugs, medical equipment, checkups, vaccinations, safe drinking water and necessary infrastructures such as sewers.

Japan will also utilize its postwar experience to help overcome infectious and parasitic diseases and promote education on HIV in schools in developing countries.

It will also set up a fund at the United Nations to support nongovernmental organizations providing medical support for poor countries, according to the plan.

The G-8 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.