Japan commits 1.5 billion dollars to Iraq

[bpilgrim]

Japan will give 1.5 billion dollars (165 billion yen) to Iraq in 2004 to help rebuild the war-torn country, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda announced Wednesday.

The chief government spokesman told a news conference that the money would be used to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure such as electricity and water supplies, as well as to restore basic services, including health care and education.

...

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi hinted that the government was determined to show its commitment to Iraq before Bush's visit and an international donor's conference on Iraq to be held in Madrid later this month.

"We cannot fail in the reconstruction of Iraq. The decision (to commit 1.5 billion dollars) has nothing to do with the forthcoming general elections. We are prepared to do what's necessary. We thought it would be better to make the decision sooner rather than later," Koizumi told reporters Wednesday night.

more...
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20031015p2a00m0fp031000c.html

Koizumi can't say no, and is why the LDP has been so successful since post wwII.

peace

[saigon68]

1. Dear Japan---Thanks a lot --- HALLIBURTON (2LL'S)

Disgusting !!!!

I'm glad the Federal Courts in the good old USA were urged by ASSCROFT to dump the slave labor lawsuits. These lawsuits, were brought by the surviving US POW'S from World War 2, and were against Mitsubishi and the other Thug JAP corporations, who used these Veteran's as SLAVE LABOR in the mines and factories of Japan. They were treated like the Jews at Auschwitz by these various Thug corporations.

Now through the funnel of $$$$---- the money can be paid to NEOCON corporations.

[CWebster]

2. They were probably given a 4 billion dollar "incentive"

to make a 1.5 billion dollar contribution.

[tom_paine]

8. You beat me to it--how much of OUR money was used to bribe the

Japanese to cough up this sum.

My guess is, like Turkey, at least Three Times as much Bribe Money (or services or kickback or phony no-bid contracts) was spent by the Busheviks (what the hell, it's not THEIR money...well at least until they steal it) in order to get this "PR Victory".

Bad joke. Imperial Amerika is a bad joke these days.

Like the Phillipines under Marcos, Haiti under Baby Doc.

[Tempest]

3. It's costing over $4 billion a month

Thanks Japan, for 10 days of support.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. So why should Japan have to foot ANY of the bill?

That's tax money going down the drain, when it could be put to better use (like fixing all the crappy roads around here).

[revcarol]

4. So we have to come up with ONLY $68.5 BILLION more

AFTER the $87 BILLION.(Total minimum cost for "reconstruction" is only $80 to $150 Billion, not counting the 'troops.')

Halliburton, et al thank you.

[TahitiNut]

5. What usually goes unreported in such Foreign Aid stories ...

... are the 'strings' attached to such displays of apparent generosity. AFAIK, Japan (like the US?) has (almost?) always proffered such foreign assistance like food stamps - as reimbursements for doing specific kinds of business with Japanese corporations. In other words, they provide such assistance only to the degree that it pays for those specified goods and services (in the areas of education, health care, water, electricity) purchased from Japanese corporations. "Japan, Inc." has been, in more ways than one, a model for "USA, Inc." for many years.

[Art_from_Ark]

7. As far as I know, Japan really didn't get anything for the $15B it paid

for the first gulf war.

Nothing, that is, except an extended recession.

[bpilgrim]

10. they got the wingers to stop smashing toyotas as well

credit where credit is due ;->

:hi:

peace

[ze_dscherman]

9. But gives 7 bn. to Russia for building a pipeline

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059480557964&p=1012571727102

Japan has offered a financial package worth $7bn in an attempt to persuade Russia to build an oil pipeline across Siberia to the Pacific instead of using a rival route into north-eastern China.


A Japanese energy official said on Monday that Tokyo was proposing $5bn to support construction of a 4,000km pipeline to Nakhodka, and had added a further $2bn for the development of Siberian oilfields, with some support in the form of low-interest loans.

SNIP