Japan to Provide $3.4 Million for Rohingya Support

The Embassy of Japan in Dhaka announced that Japan will provide $3.4 million for Rohingya support in a press release on Monday.

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) welcomed the timely contribution of 500 million Japanese yen (around $3.4 million) from the government of Japan to provide life-saving assistance for the Rohingya and host communities.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori said Japan remains firmly beside Bangladesh and the international community in meeting the basic needs of the Rohingya population.

He added that Japan is deeply concerned about the growing needs in the camps and the sharp decline in humanitarian funding. Japan is committed to working with WFP and all partners to help prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis and contribute to a long-term solution so that the Rohingya can return to Myanmar safely and with dignity.

With Japan’s latest contribution, WFP will provide monthly food and nutrition assistance to 100,000 Rohingya refugees and 2,000 vulnerable Bangladeshis. Families will receive e-vouchers to purchase rice, lentils, fresh vegetables, and other food from camp outlets. Special nutrition support will also reach children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, both inside and outside the camps, to prevent and treat malnutrition.

Since early 2024, about 1.50,000 Rohingya have arrived at the camps due to intense fighting in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, bringing the total population to over 1.1 million. Despite rising needs, the sharp reduction in international funding has put the entire humanitarian response at risk, threatening essential services such as food, cooking gas, nutrition, healthcare, education, and protection. If new funding is not secured, WFP faces the risk of major disruptions to its food assistance from December.

Dom Scalpelli, WFP country director in Bangladesh, said they are deeply grateful for Japan’s steadfast partnership and the generosity of the Japanese people. He urged all partners to help prevent a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the camps. WFP, he added, will continue to stretch every dollar while ensuring efficiency, transparency, and value for money.

Since the influx of Rohingya began in August 2017, Japan has supported the refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing more than $240 million through WFP, other UN agencies, and NGOs in the country, including this new funding.