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Foreign Affairs

Last Update : Friday, Nov 21, 2014

[Ministry of Foreign Affairs] [Sunday, Nov 16, 2014]

Japan and United States Announce $4.5 Billion in Pledges to Green Climate Fund

Making good on our commitment to support efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience worldwide, the United States and Japan announced a total of up to
$4.5 billion in pledges to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This includes up to $3 billion from the United States and up to $1.5 billion from Japan, subject to respective domestic procedures and based on strong contributions from other donors. Our pledges build on those already announced by Germany, France, and other donors, which include developed and developing countries.

Our pledges will be reiterated at the GCF’s pledging session on November 20 in Berlin, Germany, where additional countries are expected to announce pledges. By announcing significant pledges promptly and at the leader level, we aim to provide great momentum to the ongoing climate change negotiations toward a post-2020 agreement that is applicable to all, in which countries make ambitious and transparent commitments to reduce their emissions.

Today’s announcement builds on a history of collective leadership by the United States, Japan, and other countries to support resilient and low-carbon development around the world. In 2008, our countries jointly spearheaded the establishment of the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs). Our pledges to the GCF are a continuation of that spirit of leadership. The GCF will mobilize investment from the private sector, whose resources and expertise will be essential to meet the climate challenge.

We encourage all countries that are able to join us in pledging to the GCF. We will continue working with our partners on the GCF Board and other stakeholders to make the GCF fully operational and ensure that it is an efficient and effective channel for climate finance.

[Ministry of Foreign Affairs] [Thursday, Nov 20, 2014]

Simplification of the Application Procedure for Single Tourism Visas for Participants of Package Tours Handled by Registered Travel Agencies, for Nationals of Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam

1. On November 20, a simplified application procedure will be introduced for issuance of single tourism visas for nationals of Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam who participate in package tours that are handled by registered travel agencies.

2. This measure forms one part of the relaxation of visa requirements announced at a meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Japan as a Tourism-Oriented Country in June this year, and is expected to contribute to Japan becoming a tourism-oriented country with an ambition to attract as many as 20 million foreign visitors, to the Growth Strategy, as well as to the promotion of people-to-people exchanges.

3. Specifically, individuals of these countries will be able to apply for single tourist visas when they take part in package tours (with a period of stay of less than 15 days) that are organized by local travel agencies registered with Japanese diplomatic missions (embassies, consulates general and consular offices) located in these countries, simply by entrusting their passports and visa application forms to the registered travel agencies. Under this new procedure, the applicants will no longer be required to submit documents that attest to their ability to pay for travel expenses. Please confirm the details of this new procedure on the websites of the Japanese diplomatic missions in these countries.