Japan vows aid to Afghanistan ahead of Obama visit

TOKYO, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Japan decided on Tuesday to provide up to $5 billion in new aid to Afghanistan over five years, a package Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama hopes will improve strained security ties with Washington ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit this week.

Concerns are growing about friction over a planned reorganisation of the U.S. military presence in Japan, the first big test of ties between Washington and a new Japanese government that wants more equal relations with its closest security ally.

Hatoyama is expected to present the new aid package to Obama, who is in the midst of a lengthy review of U.S. strategy for Afghanistan, at a bilateral summit on Friday in Tokyo.

The aid package, which comes ahead of a planned halt to Japan’s naval refueling mission in support of U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan, will focus on civilian steps including job training for former Taliban fighters after decades of war.

By reuters
(Reporting by Yoko Nishikawa and Yoko Kubota; Editing by Rodney Joyce)