Japanese Cabinet approves $5B Afghan aid

TOKYO, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The Japanese Cabinet Tuesday authorized $5 billion in aid to Afghanistan during the next five years, the government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said.

The civilian aid will be used for reconstruction in Afghanistan, including improving security and training of police officers, Kyodo News reported. A government statement said Japan will also make ''financial contributions'' to sponsor programs for vocational training and job creation for former Taliban soldiers.

The Cabinet action comes ahead of Friday's arrival of U.S. President Barack Obama, who is expected to decide soon on his Afghan strategy, including how many additional U.S. troops might be sent to Afghanistan.

The Japanese aid also comes as Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of the American-led anti-terrorism operation in and around Afghanistan is set to end in January.

In approving the aid package to Afghanistan, Japan recognizes the issue is "a very significant problem not only for Japan and the United States but also for the international community,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano told reporters.

The senior government spokesman said the international community must ''unite and tackle the issue,'' Kyodo said.

Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan came to power after a landslide victory in the August elections, which also ended the half century regime of the Liberal Democratic Party.