THE Japanese government has announced plans to pledge an additional US$21 million to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, bolstering its support for the financially stretched court.

Eang Sophallet, spokesman for Prime Minister Hun Sen, said that while meeting with Hun Sen on Sunday, Japan's Foreign Minister Nakasone Hirofumi confirmed the government of Japan had decided to provide the donation to support the process of the Extraordinary Chambers.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen also proposed Hirofumi to consider the possibility of providing a budget for the Cambodian side of the [court]," Eang Sophallet told reporters outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday.   

"The Japanese government supports the stance of Cambodia running the ECCC."

Japan has remained the top financial contributor to the Khmer Rouge tribunal since its establishment in 2006.

Funding thru early 2010

Assistant press secretary Takeshi Akamatsu told reporters that the Japanese government's latest contribution would be for the rest of 2009 and the first three months of 2010.

"It is important for Cambodia to achieve justice and harmonisation," Takeshi Akamatsu, quoted his foreign minister.

He said that Hun Sen requested an amount of the donation to go to Cambodia's side, rather than the UN's, which Takeshi Akamatsu said his government would consider.

The two men did not discuss the issue of corruption.