Japan will provide Iraq with grants worth $1.5 billion in 2004 to support the country's reconstruction, the government announced Wednesday.
The announcement came ahead of a visit to Japan on Friday by U.S. President George W. Bush, a move designed to show that Japan's pledge was not made under pressure from Washington.
"We have decided to announce the amount today because of the importance of reconstruction in Iraq and stability in the Middle East, and to show our stance to the international community," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a news conference.