MFA Exchanges Notes on 4 Billion Yen Grant Aid with 9 Entit…

In the Official Gazette dated October 8, 2026, the Government announced, via Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notifications No. 308 through No. 316, the exchange of notes regarding grant aid concluded between the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Government of the Republic of Mozambique. The total amount of grants targeting nine countries and organizations is approximately 4.076 billion yen, spanning four fields: food aid, anti-narcotics measures, election support, and human resource development. All were signed in the name of Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, dated October 8, 2026.

Framework and Background of Publication

The exchange of notes took place between August 12 and September 8, 2026, in the respective capitals and local offices. The publication in the Official Gazette was dated October 8 and was announced collectively as Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notifications.

All food aid is conducted in relation to the “Food Aid Regulations,” and the purpose and content of the cooperation are commonly defined as “the purchase of products and services necessary to implement food aid.” Anti-narcotics measures and election support are organized as grants to United Nations agencies, while human resource development is organized as bilateral grants.

Food Aid: Total of 1.9 Billion Yen for 6 Countries/Regions

Republic of Malawi (August 12, Lilongwe) — 300 million yen. Signed by Koji Naito, Ambassador to Malawi (Japan), and Hyun-jun Im, Head of the Malawi Country Office (WFP).
Republic of the Sudan (August 26, Port Sudan) — 350 million yen. Signed by Takanobu Nakahara, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Sudan, and Abdalla Al-Wardat, Head of the Sudan Country Office.
Republic of South Sudan (August 26, Juba) — 350 million yen. Signed by Yuki Koyama, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to South Sudan, and Mutinta Chimuka, Head of the South Sudan Country Office.
Republic of Zimbabwe (September 7, Harare) — 200 million yen. Signed by Nobutaka Maekawa, Ambassador to Zimbabwe, and Barbara Clemens, Head of the Zimbabwe Country Office.
Republic of Chad (September 7, N’Djamena) — 200 million yen. Signed by Kentaro Minami, Ambassador to Chad, and Jean-Noël Jonty, Head of the Chad Country Office.
Palestinian Territories (August 24, Ramallah) — 500 million yen. Signed by Katsuhiko Araike, Ambassador in charge of Palestinian affairs and Head of the Representative Office of the Government of Japan to Palestine, and Kate Newton, Deputy Representative of the Palestine Country Office.

Anti-Narcotics Measures and Election Support: 1.918 Billion Yen with UN Agencies

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (September 3, Kabul)— 1.488 billion yen with the United Nations for the “Project for Strengthening Anti-Drug Capacity for Vulnerable Groups.” The grant deadline is September 30, 2027. The Japanese side was signed by Kenichi Masamoto, Ambassador to Afghanistan; the United Nations side was signed by Poleak Ok Serei, Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Afghanistan.
Solomon Islands (September 8, Honiara)— 430 million yen with the United Nations Development Programme for the “Election Support Project.” The Japanese side was signed by Keiichi Higuchi, Ambassador to the Solomon Islands; the United Nations Development Programme side was signed by Munkhtuya Altangerel, Resident Representative for the Pacific.

Human Resource Development Scholarship Program, 258 million yen with Mozambique

An exchange of notes on grants, etc., was conducted with the Republic of Mozambique (August 28, Maputo) for the purpose of purchasing services necessary to implement the Human Resource Development Scholarship Program. The limit is 258 million yen, and the grant deadline is December 31, 2033. The Japanese side was signed by Keiji Hamada, Ambassador to Mozambique, and the Mozambican side was signed by Maria de Fátima Simão Manso, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Mozambican Communities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Impact on Readers

These nine cases target six African countries, one region in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and one Pacific country, indicating that grant funds contributed by Japanese taxpayers are being allocated to the fields of food, security, governance, and education. The Official Gazette dated October 8 also contains Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notice No. 306 (Entry into force of the amendment to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) and No. 307 (Invalidation of passports).

Source: Official Gazette, October 8, 2026, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notices No. 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316.