Japan decides to provide $7.4mln in pro bono grant for victims of nuclear tests in Semey
Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya signed the corresponding document today in Astana, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Nurtleu announced on Monday the singing of an intergovernmental agreement, under which Japan will provide 7.4 million US dollars in a pro bono grant to support those affected by nuclear tests in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh minister noted both nations that faced severe impacts from nuclear tests strongly advocate for a world free of nuclear weapons. It was highlighted Kazakhstan attaches utmost importance to the current visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, as Kazakhstan is set to mark 34 years since the closure of the Semipalatinsk Test Site on August 29.
This year marks 80 years since atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and next year will mark 35 years since the Semipalatinsk Test Site was closed, said Nurtleu.
Earlier, it was reported Kazakh, Japanese foreign ministers – Murat Nurtleu and Takeshi Iwaya – have held negotiations in Astana.
