Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vietnamese supreme leader Nguyen Phu Trong have agreed that Japan will provide more used vessels to shore up Vietnam's maritime law enforcement capabilities to counter China's increasing power in the South China Sea.

Abe also said Tokyo will extend about ¥100 billion in loans to Vietnam to help build new infrastructure such as ports and expressways.

"It is very significant that we shared grave concerns over continuous unilateral actions to change the status quo and increase tensions in the South China Sea, which includes large-scale land reclamation and building of outposts," Abe said in apparent reference to China's activities during a news conference Tuesday following a meeting with Trong in his office.