Japan's Koizumi pledges continued tsunami relief

Japan's Koizumi pledges continued tsunami relief

George Nishiyama, Reuters/Banda Aceh

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi toured tsunami- devastated Aceh province on Saturday, pledging Tokyo would continue to provide funds and other relief assistance to Indonesia.

Taking a short break from a summit of African and Asian leaders in Jakarta, Koizumi said he was shocked by the destruction wrought by the Dec. 26 quake-triggered waves that left more than 160,000 Acehnese killed or missing and half a million homeless.

"It's been four months, and still this damage is like the place has been fire-bombed," he said.

"I see that Japanese aid is serving a purpose. We must continue to provide human assistance, material as well as financial assistance," he said.

Japan pledged around US$540 million in aid for the countries hit by the Asian tsunami, a large chunk earmarked for Indonesia.

Japanese troops left Aceh last month after their biggest overseas deployment since World War Two, which included around 1,000 troops on the ground, a field hospital, Chinook helicopters and a small armada of ships.

Its soldiers worked with the United Nations Children's Fund and Indonesian health ministry officials, giving measles vaccinations and vitamin A supplements to children.

When the Japanese military last visited Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra island, it was during their 1942 invasion that led to the rapid surrender of the Dutch colonial army.

After its eventual defeat by the Allies in 1945, Japan adopted a pacifist constitution.

Japan is now the biggest bilateral aid donor to Indonesia and a major trade and investment partner.

In Jakarta, Koizumi has pushed ahead with efforts to carve out a global leadership role for Japan -- including a permanent seat of the U.N. Security Council -- to match its economic might.

On Friday, he apologized for Japan's wartime atrocities, which in recent weeks have been the root cause of a rupture in relations with China.