Yoshio Nomoto, minister of the Japanese Embassy in China, donated US$77,481 on behalf of the Japanese government Friday to Beijing for the purchase of 20,000 exposure suits for medical staff in hospitals where SARS patients were treated.
Nomoto said Japan has already provided aid to China such as medical equipment, but as Beijing was still in urgent need, Japan provided more aid in cash.
"The SARS situation in Beijing has begun to improve and cases are decreasing. We will gain victory in the battle against SARS," said Zhang Mao, vice mayor of Beijing.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2003)