TOKYO, December 20, 2005 (WAFA) - The Government of Japan decided Tuesday to provide emergency grant aid totaling about US$720,000, that is about 77 million yen, to support the fair and smooth implementation of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, to be held on 25 January next year.... In a press release, the Japanese Government said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is planning to conduct Legislative Council elections on 25 January next year, and its central election committee has recently requested donor cooperation in funding for the elections.... Following that request, says the statement, the Government of Japan decided to extend assistance of about US$500,000, that is about 53.5 million yen, for the Central Election Commission's voter education and provide about US$220,000, that is about 23.5 million yen, through the Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for the establishment of a Liaison and Support Unit (LSU) for monitoring by international and domestic electoral observers.... The Government of Japan considers that the fair and smooth implementation of such important elections is very much important in promoting the Middle East peace process.... "The Government of Japan is also planning to dispatch an election monitoring mission of the government, headed by Mr. Shintaro Ito, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and also support the election monitoring activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the PA through grassroots human security grant aid," the press release concluded.... A.D (23:00 P) (21:00 GMT)