Wednesday, July 20 2005 10:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Singapore: Japan said here yesterday (July 19, 2005) that it supports bids by India, Australia and New Zealand to join an inaugural East Asia Summit in Malaysia later this year, as well as possible observer status by the United States.

Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their ASEAN Plus 3 counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea should discuss the issue when they meet in Laos later this month.

The discussions should focus on the actual modality and the agenda for the meeting, Takashima told reporters in Singapore at the end of a one-day visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.

Machimura met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean and Foreign Minister George Yeo during his whirlwind stopover here.

Both Machimura and Yeo agreed that Australia, New Zealand and India should participate in the summit to be held in Malaysia in December involving Prime Ministers and Presidents, Takashima said.

"The two foreign ministers had the same view that not only India's participation, but also Australians' and New Zealanders' participation would be very probable and they both expect that ASEAN Plus Six would be the first members of the East Asian Summit meeting," he said.

ASEAN Plus 6 refers to ASEAN's 10 members plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.

Takashima also said Japan supports some sort of observer status by the United States at the summit if other members accept it.