Prime Minister Taro Aso pledged Saturday to provide more than $17 billion to help Asian countries strengthen their growth potential during the global financial crisis in an address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Aso also promised that Japan will set a medium-term emissions reduction target for around 2020 by June this year to tackle global warming, saying Japan will make more efforts toward reducing emissions.
"This year is the year when we decide on concrete actions," Aso said at a special session of the weekend meeting in the Swiss resort town of Davos. "If all countries do not share the burden equitably in keeping with their differentiated responsibilities, the problem will never be solved."