Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet endorsed a plan Tuesday to extend $5 billion, or about ¥450 billion, in civilian aid to Afghanistan over five years from 2009 to help reconstruct the war-torn country.
Hatoyama is expected to convey the plan to U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday during their summit in Tokyo.
The aid is intended to replace Japan's current support for Afghanistan in the form of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Indian Ocean refueling mission, which ends in January.
The government came up with the aid figure based on its belief that Afghan reconstruction is "a very significant problem not only for Japan and the United States but also for the international community," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano told a news conference.
The international community must "unite and tackle the issue," he said.
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said the international community will understand the decision to boost civilian support for Afghanistan.
"The amount is fairly big and the content of support is substantial," Kitazawa said.
Japan International Cooperation Agency head Sadako Ogata said in an interview last week that "there are significant expectations for Japan's civilian power" in rebuilding Afghanistan.
With the funds, the government will "provide maximum support" to train police officers and help people in Afghanistan improve their capacity for ensuring security.
The government will also make "financial contributions" to sponsor programs for vocational training and job creation for former Taliban soldiers.
In an effort to help Afghanistan achieve sustainable development, Japan will provide support in the area of farming development, infrastructure building, and education and health care.