Japan to host summit with five Mekong countries next month

Japan would hold the first summit with five countries in the Mekong region next month to build up connectivity in the basin, Japanese government spokesman Kazuo Kodama said Saturday.

Leaders from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam would meet with Japan in Tokyo from November 6 to 7 to discuss development schemes in the Mekong basin.

Japan engaged with the Mekong countries under framework of Asean-Japan to help bridging development gap between new member of the group Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam with original members.

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama invited his counterparts when they met Saturday during the Asean summit in Cha Am/Hua Hin.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva who met in a bilateral talk with Hatoyama said he was looking forward to the meeting in Tokyo.