The Japanese government announced that it will resume its funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Japanese government decided that the UN agency has put in place appropriate organizational reform measures in response to allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the sudden attack launched by Hamas on Israel, which led Japan to suspend its funding. Tokyo is set to provide nearly $35 million allocated in its supplementary budget for the fiscal year 2023, according to Japanese news outlet Jiji Press.
Yoko Kamikawa, Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, explained that the contribution of approximately $35 million was scheduled to be provided in the fiscal year 2023 ending in March and will be delivered soon. She added that "the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories in Gaza continues to deteriorate. It is our country's responsibility to respond to the crisis as a member of the United Nations Security Council," as reported by Kyodo News.
Kamikawa told reporters in Parliament that "UNRWA has strengthened its management improvement measures and has started new steps to manage the risks" of potential misuse of Japanese funds. She added, "We will lift the freeze on our financial contributions and provide assistance while ensuring the appropriateness of the way the funds are utilized." According to Kyodo, out of the $35 million, around $10 million will be spent on improving health conditions and delivering essential goods to women and infants in Gaza, while the remainder will support Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
