UEFA President Michel Platini handed over a cheque for €500,000 from UEFA to the Japan Football Association (JFA) president Junji Ogura on the occasion of the FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Tokyo.

The presentation of the cheque is a further symbol of UEFA's support for the Japanese people following the terrible damages suffered during the natural disaster that hit the country last March. The chairman of the UEFA Finance Committee, Marios N Lefkaritis, and the European members of the FIFA Executive Committee were also present at the ceremony.

"The way the Japanese people have reacted to the terrible natural tragedies that struck them this year showcases what kind of country this is," said Mr Platini. "It is UEFA's duty to use football to support people in times of need, as football is one of the few global sports that can transcend both language and culture to bring people together. The image of players at our matches holding up banners in support of the Japanese people was, for me, an enduring symbol of this unity," UEFA website quoted Platini as saying.