cation and basic health care services. In 1996, Japan began providing direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority and has provided a wide range of assistance toward improving living standards. In October 1997 and June 1998, Japan decided to assist in the construction of ten primary and secondary schools in the Gaza Strip.

## 21 : Recent Japanese humanitarian aid: aid for Kosovo

In April 1999, a Japan aid package of approximately $200 million for Kosovo was channeled through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other multilateral and bilateral means. This contribution is intended as humanitarian assistance for Kosovo refugees and displaced persons, assistance for affected neighboring countries, and support for the reconstruction of Kosovo.

## 22 : Anti-personnel landmine clearance and support for victims

On a monthly basis, there are approximately 2,000 landmine casualties among non-combatants throughout the world. In September 1997, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction was adopted. The Tokyo Conference on Anti-Personnel Landmines, held in March 1997, adopted the Tokyo Guidelines for achieving “zero victims.” To work toward the achievement of this goal, in November 1997 Japan announced that it would provide approximately $10 billion in assistance over a five-year period beginning in 1998.

### 7. Responding to Problems of Debt Relief

## 23 : Grant aid for debt relief

In accordance with the resolution adopted in 1978 by the Ninth Trade Development Board (TDB) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Japan has been providing grant aid for debt relief to LLDCs with whom Japan has ODA loan arrangements, and to the countries most seriously affected by the oil crisis (MSAC). In the case of LLDCs, whenever repayments are received on ODA loans (according to loan arrangements signed during or before fiscal 1987), Japan provides scheme grants corresponding to the amount of principal and interest payments received. Japan has provided grant aid for debt relief amounting to approximately ¥340 billion in the period between fiscal 1978 and 1998.

## 24 : Cologne Summit decision on assistance to heavily indebted poor countries

It was decided at the Cologne Summit that international debt relief should be provided to the most heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) under the existing framework for international debt relief (the so-called “HIPCs Initiative”). The debt reduction ratio was increased to 100% in the case of bilateral ODA, and other measures of debt relief were expanded and improved.

### I II. PRIORITY ISSUES AND SECTORS BY REGION

## 25 : Countries for which Japan is the leading ODA donor (1996)

Japan is the leading ODA donor for 17 countries in Asia, five in the Middle East, six in Africa, 14 in Latin America and the Caribbean, and five in the Oceania region.

### 1. East Asia

## 26 : South-South Cooperation

Refers to economic cooperation provided by relatively advanced developing economies in the South to other developing countries in the South. For details, see section IV, Methods of Aid 5. Support for South-South Cooperation. Third-country training described in explanatory note 11 is a typical form of support for South-South Cooperation.

### 2. Southwest Asia

## 27 : Impoverished population of Southwest Asia

The impoverished population of Southwest Asia exceeds 500 million and is larger than that of sub-Saharan Africa (approximately 220 million). Of the seven Southwest Asian countries, four are recognized as LLDCs.

### 3. Central Asia and the Caucasus

## 28 : Silk Road diplomacy

The “Silk Road region” covers five Central Asian countries and three countries of the Caucasus. The “Eurasian diplomatic initiative,” announced in 1997 by the then prime Minister Hashimoto, presented Japan’s policy of actively seeking to develop closer ties with this region. The principal points of the initiative are as follows: (1) promotion of political dialogue to strengthen mutual confidence and understanding, (2) economic assistance for supporting regional prosperity and assistance for development of resources, and (3) support for promoting peace through nuclear non-proliferation, democratization, and stabilization.