Society

Abe pledges Japan's support to Jordan

May 02 (NHK) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, now on a tour of the Middle East, says Japan will continue to support the stability of Jordan, which has been accepting a large number of Syrian refugees.

Abe gave the assurance when he met Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki in Jordan's capital, Amman, on Tuesday.

Abe said he has high regard for the role Jordan is playing in regional peace and stability. He said Japan will continue to support Jordan. Abe believes the stability of Jordan is essential for the stability of the Middle East.

Japan will provide aid worth up to 1.6 billion yen, or about 15 million dollars. The money will be used to increase the country's waste-processing capacity, a necessity that is increasing with the influx of refugees from Syria.

Japan's Ambassador to Jordan, Hidenao Yanagi, and Jordan's Planning and International Cooperation Minister, Imad Najib Fakhoury, exchanged notes on the aid in the presence of Abe and Mulki. Abe also affirmed that Japan will boost cultural cooperation with Jordan.

Japan has been assisting in a project to build a museum at the entrance to Jordan's stone city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum is intended to preserve and display precious cultural relics unearthed at the archaeological site. It is scheduled to open later this year.

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