Japan donated mats, water purifiers, tents and blankets to the victims of Artemisa
14ymedio, Havana, 30 November 2024 — After two hurricanes, two earthquakes and a long season of blackouts, the Cuban regime has done what it does best: ask for help left and right. The Government’s hand remains open and extended to receive international aid, most recently from Japan.
A publication of the Japanese embassy on the Island announced on November 19 that the country was willing to cooperate with resources for the 114 victims of Artemisa who totally or partially lost their homes after the passage of Rafael. This week, the shipment, with water purifiers, blankets, tents and mats finally arrived on the Island. The shipment was managed by the International Cooperation Agency of Japan (Jica), and its value is about 160,000 dollars.
The shipment was received by a delegation from both countries at the José Martí International Airport in Havana. “During his speech, Ambassador [Kazuhito] Nakamura conveyed his condolences to those affected and said that this aid is a sign of Japan’s solidarity with Cuba, since both countries face natural disasters,” the statement says.
The event was Nakamura’s debut as a diplomat on the Island after presenting his credentials on November 20 to Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.
The ambassador also recalled that it is not the first time that Japan has sent donations to Cuba. “Similar actions of the Japanese people and government in disaster situations in Cuba” were carried out after the passage of hurricanes Sandy (2012), Matthew (2016), Irma (2017) and Ian (2022).
Since 2018, Japan also maintains eight large-scale non-refundable financial assistance programs
Since 2018, Japan has also maintained eight large-scale non-reimbursable financial assistance programs on the Island. One of these projects was the one that assisted the residents of Pinar del Río after Ian’s scourge. The donation included “23 water purifiers, 23 tanks to store the liquid, and 50 spools of cables and adapters,” the Japanese authorities then listed.
As former ambassador Kenji Hirata explained at the time, his country’s assistance to the Island focuses mainly on agriculture, energy, the environment and transport. In the latter case, they highlight the donation of 84 Japanese buses in 2022 to the Havana transport company and the 24 garbage trucks delivered in 2019.
Tokyo also grants Havana microcredits of up to $130,000 with an assistance program – which they also do not need to repay – for Human Security, designed for immediate attention to small towns after specific disasters
“For example, in some small towns of Cienfuegos we installed pumping equipment based on renewable energy, and the inhabitants received a more stable water supply. Meanwhile, the Government was able to save money invested in fuel to carry the liquid by pipes,” said the representative.
Through Jica, Japan “boosted” with 20 million dollars last April, on Isla de la Juventud, the installation of photovoltaic parks, following the controversial Cuban energy transition plan. The project also includes batteries with a storage capacity of 10 MW.
Japan “boosted” with 20 million dollars last April the installation of photovoltaic parks
“The experience can be very useful for the megaproject of 2,000 megawatts that would be generated with solar panels, the first phase of an ambitious [Cuban] government project to move the fossil energy matrix to a renewable one,” Hirata said
As for food, up to 2023, Japan had spent 63,400 dollars to supply machinery to several mini industries of fruit and vegetable preserves in Matanzas. The plan then was to collaborate with the failed Food Sovereignty Act.
Taking into account that, according to official press reports, the total number of damaged homes in the province was 21,037, Japanese aid to 114 people seems insignificant. However, it frees the Government of the Island from assisting at least a few dozen families until they can recover their homes.
In addition, the resources are added to the many others sent by political allies of Havana, foreign solidarity groups, international agencies – the European Union approved this week an additional 2.7 million euros to support the recovery in Cuba – and to Japan’s own investments accumulated over the years. According to data from the Japanese Embassy in Havana, 203.06 million dollars have been spent in Cuba since 1998.
“The Government of Japan sends experts to Cuba in fields such as the environment, electrification, irrigation, disaster prevention, etc., and receives Cuban interns for training courses,” he explains in a report.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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