YANGON, January 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The Japanese government will provide a grant aid for the project of human resources development scholarship in Myanmar under its Official Development Assistance (ODA) program, according to a press release of the Japanese embassy here Tuesday.
   The notes for providing an amount of 203 million yens (about 1.65 million U.S. dollars) for the project were signed and exchanged earlier on Tuesday between Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Tsumori and Myanmar Minister of National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha.
   This was Japanese government's first ODA extended to Myanmar since the beginning of this year following such aid of 1.689.2 billion yens (about 13.8 million dollars) provided to the country in 2001.
   The project will be implemented under the main technical assistance program related to Japan-Myanmar Cooperation for Economic Structural Adjustment in Myanmar and aims to provide
Myanmar nationals with opportunities for obtaining master's degree at Japanese higher educational institutions in various fields. 
   Meanwhile, up to 2001, Japan has so far provided aid for debt relief to Myanmar for 20 times including that of 3.594 billion yens (about 29.22 million dollars) during 2001.  Enditem