While Japan is striving to reduce its official development assistance budget, it should channel more aid resources toward least developed countries in Africa, according to a high-ranking U.N. official.

Anwarul Chowdhury, United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said this is especially true now, with world leaders set to gather in South Africa in August to discuss poverty-reduction and environmental-protection measures.

Chowdhury noted in a recent interview with The Japan Times that Japan's ODA is still substantial, despite this year's 10 percent cut.