TOKYO, Sept 29: Japan pledged a billion dollars in grant aid for poverty-stricken nations in Africa on Monday at the start of a major conference on development issues.

Japanese Premier Junichiro Koizumi told the conference that the money would go towards meeting basic human needs and promote economic growth.

“Without economic growth, poverty cannot be reduced,” Mr Koizumi said, adding that Japan would place particular emphasis on efforts to improve agricultural productivity.—Reuters