Japan

Last Updated: 30 October 2013

Support for Mine Action

In 2012, Japan contributed ¥4,599,974,319 (US$57,629,345) in mine action funding to 21 countries as well as the ICRC, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), and the UN.[1] Japan contributed ¥1,259,459,985 ($15,778,752), representing 27% of its contributions, to Lao PDR: this included ¥886 million ($11.1 million) worth of equipment to the government for use in their mine action programs. Japan also made contributions through the UN Mine Action Service ranging from ¥259 million ($3.2 million) to ¥478 million ($6 million) to Afghanistan, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Mozambique, Somalia, and South Sudan.

Japan’s support to the DRC includes funding the national survey that will determine the full extent of the country’s landmine and cluster munition contamination problem. Japan’s only reported support for victim assistance was to the Humpty Dumpty Institute and Project RENEW in Vietnam for their Mushrooms with a Mission livelihood project.

Contributions by recipient: 2012[2]

Recipient

Sector

Amount (¥)

Amount ($)

Lao PDR

Clearance

1,259,459,985

15,778,752

Mali

Clearance

478,920,000

6,000,000

South Sudan

Clearance

399,100,000

5,000,000

Afghanistan

Clearance, risk education

390,187,299

4,888,340

DRC

Clearance

343,103,157

4,298,461

Mozambique

Clearance

341,832,981

4,282,548

Somalia

Clearance

319,280,000

4,000,000

Cambodia

Clearance

259,790,633

3,254,706

Libya

Clearance

145,859,875

1,827,360

Angola

Clearance

134,029,993

1,679,153

Sri Lanka

Clearance

127,558,347

1,598,075

Georgia

Clearance

78,696,214

985,921

Zimbabwe

Clearance

68,976,692

864,153

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Clearance

66,793,855

836,806

Palau

Clearance

59,855,980

749,887

ICRC

Clearance

26,606,720

333,334

Colombia

Various

23,637,416

296,134

Tajikistan

Clearance

19,010,969

238,173

Lebanon

Clearance

16,185,900

202,780

Vietnam

Victim assistance

9,812,752

122,936

Mauritania

Clearance

15,759,980

197,444

UNMAS

Various

7,207,746

90,300

Solomon Islands

Clearance

5,115,025

64,082

GICHD

Various

3,192,800

40,000

 

 

4,599,974,319

57,629,345

From 2008–2012, Japan’s contributions have ranged from ¥3.4 billion to ¥5.3 billion. The role the exchange rate plays with Japan’s contribution is well illustrated when comparing the years 2008 and 2012.

Summary of contributions: 2008–2012[3]

Year

Amount (¥)

Amount ($)

2012

4,599,974,319

57,629,345

2011

3,425,586,258

42,981,007

2010

4,110,662,879

46,829,151

2009

4,502,340,000

48,060,845

2008

5,318,480,480

51,440,956

Total

21,957,043,936

246,941,304

 

 



[1] Average exchange rate for 2012: ¥79.82=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.

[3] See Landmine Monitor reports 2008–2011; and ICBL-CMC, “Country Profile: Japan: Support for Mine Action,” 19 September 2012.