Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday pledged to support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in addressing the coronavirus pandemic and enhancing security amid China's growing influence in the region.
At the beginning of an online summit with counterparts from the 10 Southeast Asian nations open to the media, Suga promised Tokyo's continuous assistance for an ASEAN center for infectious diseases, which will be established following a proposal in April by his predecessor Shinzo Abe.
"We will not hesitate to keep supporting (the center) so that it will serve a vital role in protecting people in the region from the threat of infectious diseases," Suga said, noting the importance of concerted measures in combating the pandemic.