Japan gives $11.7 million to Khmer Rouge tribunal

Japan has agreed to make a contribution of $11.7 million to the UN-assisted genocide tribunal that is trying former leaders of Cambodia's communist Khmer Rouge. A tribunal statement issued Friday said that the contribution from Japan - the single biggest donor to the proceedings - will cover about 25% of its budget for 2011. Japan has provided a total of about $67 million to the tribunal, about 49% of all contributions.

An estimated 1.7 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule in the late 1970s. The tribunal convicted its first defendant in 2010, and later in 2011 is expected to begin trying four former top Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and murder, torture and religious persecution.