TOKYO: The Japanese government is considering resuming its funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA, it has been learned.

Japan, along with the United States and European countries, suspended its UNRWA funding in January, following allegations that some of the UN agency’s staff were involved in an attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The Japanese government plans to make a final decision on whether to resume the funding after hearing about preventive measures from UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, who is set to visit Japan later this month.

At a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, on Friday, Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko said that she hopes to be briefed by Lazzarini about the UN body’s efforts to strengthen governance.

“We will respond with full efforts toward resuming the funding,” Kamikawa said. She also told a press conference that the government will consider the matter “with a sense of speed.”

The government’s fiscal 2023 supplementary budget includes about 35 million dollars for UNRWA funding. Since halting the funding, it has been urging UNRWA to work to strengthen its governance.

“We can never allow the taxpayers’ money to be used for terrorism,” a Foreign Ministry official said.

Since more than 10 countries, including the United States, UNRWA’s largest donor, halted funding to the U.N. agency, food shortages have worsened in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, which is under Israeli attack, with some people warning that famine is imminent.

In light of the dire situation, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Finland and some other nations this month announced the resumption of their UNRWA funding.

While the Japanese government decided in late February to provide 32 million dollars in emergency grant aid to Gaza through international organizations other than UNRWA, Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is calling for the resumption of Japanese funding.

“We want to resume it as soon as we can confirm (UNRWA’s efforts) to strengthen governance,” said an aide to Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio.