BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Japan to boost aid to Afghanistan
Japan's government has pledged $5bn (£3bn) in new aid to Afghanistan over the next five years.
Looks like the
new Japanese government is showing they are still a prominent ally in America's war on "terror".
I'm not very familiar with Japanese politics. Is this big news in Japan?
Japan's government has been working on a plan to offer more aid to Afghanistan since announcing it would end a mission by the Maritime Self Defence Force to supply fuel to assist US-led operations in the country.
Now there is a figure - $5bn (£3bn) over the next five years.
It is likely to be used for job training, helping former Taliban fighters to reintegrate with society, and for agriculture and infrastructure development.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is expected to discuss details of the scheme with President Obama when he visits Japan on Friday.
Mr Hatoyama took power in September after winning a landslide in a general election which ended more than half a century of almost unbroken power for the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.
His Democratic Party of Japan wants a more equal relationship with the United States.