[mmaimcal]Japanese funding for ALMA participation

[Al Wootten]

Dear folks,

It gives me great pleasure to forward to you a copy of emails to the 
ASAC from Ishiguro-san and Kaifu-san regarding Japanese participation in 
ALMA.  This is indeed good news; let us all join in congratulating and 
welcoming our colleagues at the news of this landmark event. The ALMA 
Science IPT anticipates an exciting and busy year working to do our part 
in the realization of Japanese participation.

Wishing all a happy new year,
Al  Wootten

-------------Copy of email from Ishiguro-san to ASAC-----------
Dear colleagues,

Big news from ALMA-J!

Attached is the e-mail from Kaifu-san to the ALMA Board members on the
ALMA-J budget.
Thank you very much for your kind cooperation to realize this important
breakthrough toward the Japanese participation in ALMA.   We hope to join in
a joint construction activities as soon as possible.

I wish you all a happy new year.

Masato Ishiguro
and ALMA-J team

-------------Copy of email from Kaifu-san to ALMA Board-----------
 >Dear ALMA Board Members,
 >
 > I am pleased to inform to the ALMA Board that the ALMA-J construction
 > budget has been
 > included in the FY2004 Government Budget plan announced on 24 December.
 > The Ministry of Finance and the Cabinet approved 25.6 Billion Yen (239M$,
 > 1$=107Yen)
 > for the ALMA-J budget in eight years and 1.0 Billion Yen

(9.35M$,1$=107Yen)

 > for the
 > FY2004 budget.
 > As I mentioned before, some other resources including personnel costs of
 > ALMA-J staff
 > will be provided separately through the NAOJ annual operation budget.
 >
 > This is a wonderful X'mas present for us, and is definitely a firm 
step of
 > Japanese
 > participation to ALMA from 2004.
 >
 > I thank all ALMA Board members for your great cooperation which has been

so

 > helpful
 > for us.  We will do our best for the formal arrangement toward a 
three-way
 > ALMA with
 > your kind cooperation.
 >
 > Best regards, and a happy new year to you all!
 >
 > Norio Kaifu
 > Director General of NAOJ