NIIGATA (Kyodo) Scholars and trade experts from Northeast Asia opened a two-day conference Monday to discuss ways to tighten economic relations in the region.
Representatives from the United Nations and countries that include Japan, South Korea, Russia, China and Mongolia are participating in the 2004 Northeast Asia Economic Conference, which is being hosted by the Niigata Prefectural Government, conference organizers said.
"While there is political and economic diversity in the region that are challenging, we would like to help each other and understand each other for mutual interest and peace," Niigata Gov. Ikuo Hirayama said in an address at the meeting.
Participants will discuss a variety of issues, including trade, distribution, energy, the environment and investment, the organizers said.
The meeting was originally set for last June but was postponed due to the SARS epidemic.