politics

Japan considers $1 billion of aid to Pakistan to help fight terrorism

25 Comments

Japan is considering providing up to $1 billion in economic aid to Pakistan over the next two years, a newspaper reported on Saturday. The Japanese government will reveal details of the planned aid in Tokyo on April 17 at a meeting of donors to be co-hosted by the World Bank, the Nikkei business daily said.

The assistance -- a combination of yen loans and grants -- is designed to help poverty-stricken areas of Pakistan that could become breeding grounds for terrorists, the newspaper said.

Funds will also be used to build infrastructure and provide education and job training, it said.

Conference participants, including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke, are expected to agree on giving around four billion dollars in aid to Pakistan over a two-year period, the daily said.

Japan has sought to contribute to US-led efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan since U.S. President Barack Obama's administration reviewed its policies and appointed Holbrooke as regional envoy.

Japan, which has been officially pacifist since World War II, is hoping to expand its role in international security short of dispatching troops.

"We must show our strong commitment as the chair nation," a Foreign Ministry official said, according to Nikkei.

© Wire reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

25 Comments
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How can Japanese government be giving so much financial aid overseas when there is a mass of domestic problems. Thousands have lost their jobs, the health care system is in crisis and yet the government wants to give $1 billion to the Taliban in Pakistan, pay the salaries of Afghan cops and God knows what else. All courtesy of Smartacus' taxes.

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WTF? Look after your own first, what is Japan trying to prove? It's the exact same thing as North Korea, they want to look good on the international front but their people are dieing of not even having food.

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I'm consiiiiidering it... considdddering.....

nup

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Big bucks. Good old Japanese-style diplomacy, buy the buggers off. If this little plan goes ahead, I hope safeguards are put in place so that the money does not end up in certain Pakistani leader's bank accounts.

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All Japan wants is favourable comments worldwide. They will pay anything for this.

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In a corrupt country like Pakistan, the money would never reach the poor and needy. Making Pakistan an ally for fighting terrorism is biggest joke! That country has always nurtured the terrorists. I also agree with gogogo that Japan should do same thing with North Korea to fight their terrorism!

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The Japanese government doesn't have a billion dollars to give to Pakistan.

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gogog - "WTF? Look after your own first, what is Japan trying to prove?"

It's called Checkbook Diplomacy. Japan has been doing this for years.

Sending cash is an alternative to sending soldiers, which would be impossible under the current Japanese Constitution.

There's really nothing new here at all.

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All Japan wants is favourable comments worldwide. They will pay anything for this.

MaryH,

I like that end bit, thx for a new twist on Jpn buying favour in the world instead of getting their own feet on the ground & doing some dirty work

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Good idea,japan. 1 billion in aid,will bring more peace.

More peace means more sales of N225 products and services.

Even Pakistan Taliban needs more N225 vehicles for transport.

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Yes, Rajakumar, the Taliban will be delighted to the the billion.

I am disgusted to see my tax money used for this idiocy.

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Making Pakistan an ally for fighting terrorism is biggest joke!

Well, Japan made Iran an ally for fighting terrorism too. I don't think Japan wants to so look good on the international front. Perhaps Japan believes in rajajumar's way of approach, that is, plowshares (means of livelihood) rather than guns is the best for a foreign country like Japan to help bring peace and stability in that region in the long run.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090411TDY01301.htm

Honestly, what the hell were the Brits thinking when they allowed for the creation of a nation liked Pakistan?

The British raj made Afghanistan cede the southeastern part of its territory with the Ghandamak agreement in 1876, which is the reason for the borderline between Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as separation of Pashtuns' living area.

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Now that we must pay for US wars, why not send our young boys to die for US foreign policy. i agree with the others, the money will either go to bribes or corruption. And the poor Taliban will continue to suffer genicide at the hands of the crusaders.

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Japan, which has been officially pacifist since World War II, is hoping >to expand its role in international security short of dispatching troops.

Japan is never going to "expand it's role" without changing it's constitution and being prepared to dispatch troops. Checkbook Diplomacy isn't appreciated or useful as it should be, and simply highlight's Japan's insistence on avoiding real responsibility.

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"the poor Taliban"

Yeah, ya gotta feel sorry for the poor Taliban.

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sarge- the Taliban actually brought peace and security when they were the legitimate government in Afghanistan. I don't agree with their culture, but it is not my country to dictate to, just like US murders it's criminals and tortures...not my business. My point is peace for civilians is the most important thing. Is Afghanistan safer now with US/NATO troops? Also, you may knock the Taliban, but the also banned heroin.

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Japan would do better to spend JPY100billion to fight racism at home. "Terrorism" in Pakistan is none of Japan's business. Unless, like the US of A, it decides to make it so. Like Amerika, Japan doesn't understand the issues either, and runs the risk of exacerbating an already volatile situation: to what end? Radical plus Islam = Trouble. best left alone, far away.

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I think that the majority of the japanese agree that that money can be better used in J for fight unemployment.

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What a waste of money!

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Combined aid from IMF/US/Donor Nations will help Taliban in taking over Islamabad sooner than anticipated by think-tank experts.

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Den Den - The Taliban, actually, were never the legitimate government in Afghanistan, and as far as bringing "peace and stabiity," yeah, if you like not being able to listen to music, or girls and women being banned from receiving an education, lol!

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sarge: "yeah, if you like not being able to listen to music, or girls and women being banned from receiving an education, lol!"

I'm not agreeing with Den Den, but wanted to point out that just recently Afghanistan passed legislation to allow one to rape one's wife according to law. So you see, regardless of whether it's Pakistan or Afghanistan, the region is returning to what it was.

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smithinjapan

The region is not returning to what it was. It is always as it was. A Japanese writer once said that where there is no electricity, there is no democracy. 2 billion people of the world have no electricity and patriarchy still rules in such places. It's like when the floor manager begins to lead us when the power supply stopped suddenly in our present society. The moment the light goes out, patriarchy begins to rule. What she meant to say is perhaps you cannot force them to buy electricity (western value) in the region.

Also this commitment by Japan to the region is a kind of passive resistance against the U.S. demand that Japan show the flag and put their boots on the ground.

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1,000,000,000 dollars to Pakistan will result in 999,999,999 dollars into the bottomless pockets of their lawyers, administrators, officials, politicians, military, ISS and others, leaving a dollar for the poor who need, and that will probably be taxed....

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Pakistan is a lost cause, I feel very sorry for the poor Indians who have to live next door to this mess. How about Japan helping hunt down the Taliban with all of the great space age technology, I am sure we can even find Osama bin ladin too!

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