The United Nations World Food Programme welcomed a major contribution of US$17.8 million from the Government of Japan to assist millions of vulnerable people in three Asian countries including Sri Lanka. "WFP is truly grateful for Japan's leadership in addressing the global food crisis," said Eri Kudo, Officer-in-Charge of WFP's Japan Office. "This generous donation will help protect millions of people from being pushed deeper into poverty and hunger," he said. The funds will be used to purchase rice and canned tuna for people severely affected by high food prices, including malnourished children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, the sick and the elderly. An example of one country suffering from the impact of high food prices is Sri Lanka, where the cost of staple foods such as rice has doubled over the past year, leaving 30 percent of households without food for days. Japan's contribution comes at a critical time as WFP's budget requirements for the country have increased by 43 percent this year, resulting in a shortfall of US$ 40 million through the end of December 2008. So far this year, contributions from Japan to WFP have reached US$137.9 million, making Japan WFP's fourth largest donor country after the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.