AIDS fund donations plunge as HIV infections hit record in Japan

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 11 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Despite a record number of HIV-infected people reported in Japan, the amount of contributions to the Japan Stop AIDS Fund fell to a record low in fiscal 2003.

The fund was founded in 1993 by the Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention. It supports private organizations and programs that help AIDS patients and HIV carriers.

Last fiscal year, donations were one-third of the amount it received in its first year and 30 percent less than those donated during fiscal 2002.

The main cause for the drop was fewer large contributions from corporations.

Private organizations and companies donate to the fund to finance help for people infected with AIDS and the foundation's public education and protection programs.

In its first fiscal year, the fund raised about 77.1 million yen, but the amount decreased quickly.

Since fiscal 1999, donations fell to between 40 million yen and 50 million yen, raised largely from donation boxes placed at shops, such as restaurants and barbers, in cooperation with business associations.

Last fiscal year, however, donations fell to about 28.16 million yen.

Small donations, which are donated mostly by individuals and are limited to 500,000 yen, account for about 10 million yen every fiscal year and amounted to about 7.8 million yen this year.

However, large endowments from corporations and organizations only accounted for about 20.4 million yen.

Last year, 627 people in the country were confirmed to have been infected with HIV, the largest number to date, indicating the urgent need to provide education on and protection against infection.

Yorimasa Nagai, the fund's business manager, said: "Although the lack of donations is probably due to the nation's economic situation, we haven't received anything from the country's top corporations. We really want their support."

From:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040411wo72.htm

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