KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Government of Japan has allocated $2 million from its latest $19.5 million aid package for Afghanistan to support Afghan refugees returning from neighboring countries, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
In a post on X, UNHCR thanked Japan for the contribution, saying the funding will help provide vital protection and assistance to returning families. “We value Japan’s continued partnership and solidarity with the Afghan people,” the agency added.
Earlier this month, Japan approved the $19.5 million humanitarian aid package for Afghanistan. According to the Japanese embassy in Kabul, Japan has provided more than $549 million in assistance since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The aid comes as Afghanistan faces the largest return movement in recent history. UN figures show over four million Afghans have returned or been deported from Iran and Pakistan over the past two years, including more than 2.6 million this year.
The mass return occurs amid one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises in Afghanistan. The UN estimates that over half the population, nearly 22 million people, will require assistance in 2026, while women and girls continue to be denied many basic rights under Taliban rule.
UN agencies and aid organizations have warned that without urgent international support and regional cooperation, the crisis could escalate further, with serious consequences for Afghanistan and the wider region.
