SHANGHAI, May 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan's Finance Minister Masajuro
Shiokawa announced Saturday that Japan will make an additional
contribution of 50 million U.S. dollars to the Japan Fund for
Poverty Reduction (JFPR), which is administered by the Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
   The 50 million US dollars will come out of the 500 million U.S.
dollars that Japan had earlier pledged over the next two and a
half years to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan, said
Shiokawa in his address to ADB's 35th Annual Meeting of the Board
of Governors.
   The JFPR, funded by the Government of Japan, was established in
May 2000 to extend grants to support innovative poverty reduction
and related social development activities that can add substantive
value to ADB financed projects. Japan has already contributed 150
million U.S. dollars to the fund.
   The JFPR provides grants for such activities as educational
campaigns relating to HIV/AIDS and improving nutrition for the
poor and socially vulnerable.
   "As the only multilateral development bank based in Asia, ADB
has made considerable contribution to regional development, to the
economic growth and social progress in the region, as well as to
the quality of life," said Shiokawa.
   He added that Japan appreciates ADB's active role in supporting
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia.
   "I hope that ADB will continue to play the leading role in
regional development and to help its developing member countries
implement structural reform, thus contributing further to poverty
reduction in the entire Asian region," Shiokawa said.  Enditem