1. On 17 January 2005, the Government of Japan decided to dispatch the 3rd group of Disaster Relief Team (Medical Team) composed of 20 members, including medical personnel specialized in infectious diseases, following the dispatch of the 1st Medical Team from 30 December 2004 to 9 January 2005, and the 2nd Medical Team from 9 January 2005, as part of its assistance to the Government of Indonesia in the response to the disaster in Indonesia caused by the major earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and tsunami in Indian Ocean. The first group of the 3rd Medical Team (8 members: 2 medical doctors, 3 nurses, a pharmacist, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a staff of JICA) has left Japan on 18 January.

2. The Government of Japan has decided to dispatch the 3rd Japanese Disaster Relief Team (medical team), because the need for medical personnel in the field of the public hygiene and the prevention of infectious diseases is still high.

Note

1. The recent earthquake has taken toll of more than 110,000 lives in Indonesia. Presently a large number of injured victims and refugees are in a bad sanitary condition.

2. In response to the calamity, the Government of Japan provides the following emergency assistance to Indonesia:
   

   1. Emergency assistance in kind totaling 39 million yen (approximately 370,000 US dollars or about Rp 3.33 billion): donation of tents, blankets, generators, etc.

   2. Emergency grant assistance: (1.5 million US dollars or about Rp 13.5 billion): to purchase emergency food, medical equipment

   3. Dispatch of Japanese Disaster Relief Team (Medical Team)

3. Moreover on 1st January Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced that Japan would provide a grant assistance of up to 500 million US dollars as emergency assistance. Of the grand total, 146 million US dollar has already been provided to the Government of Indonesia, and 250 million US dollar will be provided to the international organizations, which will undertake relief activities in affected countries.

4. On 4 January, the Government of Japan decided to dispatch members of the Japanese Self Defence Forces. They are now engaged in transport of relief goods and activities for improving the sanitation condition.