Japan to give Y500 million in aid to quake-hit China as death toll nears 12,000
Japan will give 500 million yen worth of emergency grants and relief aid to quake-hit China, including blankets and tents, and is ready to provide additional assistance such as the dispatch of personnel if necessary, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura announced Tuesday evening. The aid will be distributed directly to the Chinese government as well as through international organizations. Komura said details of the breakdown have yet to be decided, awaiting specific appeals from international agencies such as the Red Cross. The death toll is believed to have passed 12,000.