The Japanese government has extended a 14.6 billion yen (about 146 million US dollars) grant to Indonesia for the immediate purchase of emergency relief goods for Aceh as well as rehabilitation work in the affected areas.

"This grant was pledged to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who visited Jakarta to attend the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting held on Jan. 6, 2005," Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yutaka Iimura was quoted Tuesday by The Jakarta Post newspaper as saying.

"This grant will be used effectively for the purchase of emergency relief goods and restoration work in the affected areas," Iimura said.

The money, which is going to be disbursed immediately, is part of the 500 million dollars in aid pledged by Koizumi to all the tsunami-affected countries.

He said that 250 million dollars of that would be channeled through the international organizations.

"Our Prime Minister has pledged to provide assistance to the maximum extent to the Indonesian government," Iimura reiterated.

The Japanese government has distributed some 370,000 dollars in food and non-food items, such as generators, blankets and water purification equipment to displaced persons camps in Aceh.

Japan has also decided to provide a 1.5 million dollars emergency grant directly to the Indonesian government for the procurement of necessary goods and services related to the emergency.

The country has also sent a medical team, including four doctors and seven nurses, who are currently working in a field hospital set up in Meulaboh.

In addition, according to Iimura, 670 Japanese military soldiers, along with three navy ships, five helicopters and two Hercules aircraft are now on their way to Aceh. This deployment is Japan's largest since World War II.

Indonesia and Japan will set up a committee to monitor relief efforts.

Japan is also willing to continue working with the Indonesian government in rebuilding the tsunami-devastated areas, Iimura said while adding that Tokyo was waiting for the results of an assessment being conducted by Indonesia and other international organizations.

"And as soon as we get that, we can begin making concrete plans for the reconstruction. We will do our best to help and money will be decided later after the Indonesian government comes up with a concrete plan," he said.

Source: Xinhua