Politics & Government

Japan Commits Over ¥5 Billion in Aid to Combat Food Shortages in Africa

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Kenyan President William Ruto shake hands at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo in February.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, March 4, 2024

Japan will provide ¥5.042 billion in grant aid for food assistance to African countries, the Foreign Ministry announced Friday. The aid will enable food, such as grains, and food vouchers to be distributed through the World Food Programme (WFP).

Fifteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, South Sudan and Mali, will benefit from the aid. Food shortages have been exacerbated in sub-Saharan Africa by regional conflicts and political instability as well as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, an agricultural powerhouse.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida outlined the policy during a meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto, who visited Japan in early February. An additional aim of the policy is to promote Japan’s commitment to aligning with the Global South.