Japan has earned the well-deserved respect of the world, emerging from conflict to become an economic success at home and a strong proponent of socially responsible policies and actions both at home and abroad.
I am a beneficiary of both Japan’s economic success and social conscience, working for an outcome, a safe home for all, but particularly for the remaining 1.6 million internally displaced persons (IDP) in Iraq. Many are still living in camps nearly two years after Iraqi Security Forces evicted Islamic State fighters from west Mosul, site of the militant group’s ill-fated “last stand.”
When will the IDPs finally return home? That depends on the pace of clearance of explosive hazards, the critical first step toward a safe home for all, which depends, in turn, upon the continued generosity of countries like my own. Japan has contributed more than ¥432 million, principally to risk education programs of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). Last year alone, Japan provided an overall total of ¥6.8 billion for Iraq, which should come as no surprise. What do friends do in times of trouble? They help one another.
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Source: The Japan Times