UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Thursday called for the building of an East Asian community aimed at promoting cooperation among the Asian countries.

    "Today, there is no way that Japan can develop without deeply involving itself in the Asia and the Pacific region," Hatoyama told world leaders at the UN General Assembly's annual debate.

    "Given the historical circumstances arising from its mistaken actions in the past, Japan has hesitated to play a proactive role in this region," he said.

    "It is my hope that the new Japan can overcome this history and become a 'bridge' among the countries of Asia," he said.

    "I look forward to an East Asian community taking shape as an extension of the accumulated cooperation built up step by step among partners who have the capacity to work together, starting with fields in which we can cooperate -- Free Trade Agreements, finance, currency, energy, environment, disaster relief and more," he said. 

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