On Monday, May 28, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda received a courtesy call from Ms. Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), who was visiting Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. Prime Minister Noda congratulated Ms. Cousin on her appointment as Executive Director of the WFP, and expressed his gratitude for the prompt support Japan received at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake, including the construction of temporary tents and the dispatch of personnel, by the WFP. Prime Minister Noda also said that because the WFP is an important partner in realizing the concept of "human security" that Japan is promoting, Japan continues to make substantial contributions to the WFP despite a severe fiscal situation, and that he requests Japan's contributions should be utilized effectively. In addition, Prime Minister Noda said he appreciates the WFP's cooperation for events such as the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which is scheduled to be held in June next year.
   
   
2. In response, Executive Director Cousin said she visited Japan to express gratitude for Japan's contributions to the WFP thus far. Executive Director Cousin noted that Japan is an important partner that always extends support immediately when disasters occur around the world, and said that she wants to continue to strengthen the WFP's cooperative relationship with Japan. She also promised she will continue to strive to ensure that support from Japan is used appropriately and effectively, and is not wasted in any way.