Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto made the statement at a press briefing after meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations` (ASEAN) foreign ministers here Saturday.
He said Japan was well experienced in handling disaster management and wanted to share its experiences with ASEAN. In connection with this, there would be a seminar about it.
Japan also supported the implementation of ASEAN`s agreement on disaster management and emergency response, and ASEAN humanitarian assistance center, he said.
He also thanked ASEAN member countries` donations for his country and also Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s initiative for holding the ASEAN-Japan`s foreign ministerial meeting.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa highlighted ASEAN member states` commitment to coordinating donations for Japan.
"All ASEAN member countries have of course distributed donations to Japan but this meeting is aimed at finding a better coordination within ASEAN to ensure a regional donation," he said.
Speaking at the ASEAN plus Japan`s foreign ministerial meeting, he said all ASEAN member states had ever felt Japan`s generosity when natural disasters hit those countries.
This time, Japan got difficulties after being hit by the tremendous disasters of earthquake, tsunami, and leaked nuclear at the same time.
In response to this reality, the ASEAN member countries wanted to provide Japan with not only financial and human resource assistance but also with policies, Marty Natalegawa said.
A deadly and disastrous earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Japan on March 11, killing at least 5,000 people.
As a result of the natural disaster, the country`s nuclear power plant in Fukushima developed a leak.
In response to this deadly disaster, the Indonesian government had sent a disaster mitigation team and two million US dollars in relief aid.
According to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, the 11-member disaster mitigation team had left on March 17, and the government donated the relief aid funds amounting to two million US dollars.(*)
(R013/HAJM/a014)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
