Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has unveiled a new assistance program to promote the use of information technology in Southeast Asia as part of Japan's efforts to focus on the IT issue at the Okinawa Group of Eight summit, a Foreign Ministry official said.
Mori announced the plan in talks Friday morning at the Prime Minister's Official Residence with leaders of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The ASEAN leaders attended the funeral of the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi the previous day.