Japan pledges two, five bln dlrs for Pak and Afghanistan

TOKYO: Japan's government decided to pledge five billion dollars in new aid over five years from 2010 to help rebuild war-torn Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday.

Media reports said the government also pledged two billion dollars in assistance for neighbouring Pakistan in a decision that came days before US President Barack Obama visits Tokyo on Friday and Saturday.

"The government decided to extend five billion dollars in assistance to Afghanistan over the next five years," said a news agency report that was confirmed by a foreign ministry official.

The cabinet of centre-left Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama early Tuesday agreed the plan for the aid, likely to be disbursed through international organisations such as the UN Development Programme.