TOKYO, April 2. /TASS/. Japan plans to resume the funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and will allocate $35 million for that purpose, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told reporters, according to Kyodo.

On March 28, she met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in Tokyo, and promised to review the resumption of the funding for the UN agency, pointing out the importance of transparency and financial monitoring within the organization, as well as the neutrality of its employees. In response, Lazzarini said that the agency, together with Japan, plans to establish a new structure for management and monitoring of projects, and the Japanese UNRWA staff will be offered to play an active role in this structure.

In late January, several countries, including the UK, Germany and the US, announced the suspension of the UNRWA funding due to the suspected ties to the Hamas movement. Lazzarini ordered to fire several employees that allegedly could have been involved in the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023. Later, the agency accused Israel of torturing its captured employees in order to obtain "fake confessions" of ties with the radical movement.

On March 25, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that a number of countries must review their decision on suspension of the UNRWA funding. According to Guterres, the agency’s employees do an exceptionally important work, so "it is necessary to ensure that further funding is guaranteed.".