### 2. South Asia

The South Asian region that has a high rate of economic growth and enormous economic potential, particularly India, the world's largest democracy, strengthens its presence in the international community. Geographically, South Asia is strategically important to Japan because of its location on a sea lane that connects East Asia with the Middle East, and the global environmental issues as well. In addition, the region is of great concern to Japan and the rest of the international community due to the role the region plays in international efforts against terrorism and extremism.

At the same time, the South Asian region still faces a large number of issues that must be addressed, including a severe lack of basic infrastructure like roads, railroads, and ports, growing populations, low school enrollment

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In its relationship with India, a central presence in South Asia, Japan promotes cooperation in a wide range of fields in accordance with the "Strategic and Global Partnership." These include politics and security, economy, economic cooperation on projects such as the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) which runs through the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), and scholarly exchange. India is the largest recipient of Japan's ODA loans, and Japan focuses on the assistance of development of economic infrastructure, mainly in the area of power and transportation and social sector development and poverty reduction through improving the environment of rural area.

In May 2009, the military conflict between government troops and the Liberation Tiger of Tamil

Women threshing rice on a rock in Bhutan (Photo: Kensaku Seki/JICA)

ratios in primary education, undeveloped water, sanitation, healthcare and medical facilities, insufficient maternal and child healthcare, a lack of countermeasures against infectious diseases, and the absence of the rule of law. The poverty reduction is a particularly significant problem. Approximately 500 million people of 1.5 billion of the region’s population are said to be living in poverty, making it one of the world’s poorest regions. South Asia is the second most important region behind Africa in aiming to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). $ ^{24} $ Japan provides assistance focused on improving the socioeconomic infrastructure in order to harness the economic potential of South Asia as well as to alleviate the growing gap between the rich and the poor.

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Kikuta observes a children's support center in Sri Lanka, where a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer serves

Eelam (LTTE) that had lasted almost 26 years in Sri Lanka came to an end. Japan provides aid to promote peacebuilding and socio-economic development in Sri Lanka, while giving consideration to regional and ethnic balance.

Pakistan plays an important role as a front-line state in “fight against terrorism.” At the Pakistan Donors Conference held in Tokyo in April 2009, Japan pledged up to $1 billion in aid for Pakistan over the next two years. Japan has been steadily providing aid in accordance with the New Strategy to Counter the Threat of Terrorism that was announced in November 2009. Japan provided support to Pakistan in response to the disastrous flood occurred in late July 2010. Japan’s emergency assistance