In a bid to raise its low profile in international peacekeeping efforts, Japan is embarking on a significant financial-assistance program for domestic nongovernmental organizations participating in overseas conflict-prevention activities.
The Foreign Ministry will seek about 100 million yen for the new program in its fiscal 2002 budgetary request, which will be submitted to the Finance Ministry later this week, ministry sources said Monday.
The new program is expected to help increase the number of Japanese NGO members and other private citizens engaged in overseas conflict-prevention activities by easing their financial burden.