Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (3rd L) speaks alongside (L-R) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, during a joint news conference following the Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting at Hatoyama's official residence in Tokyo November 7, 2009. The two-day meeting is held to develop the relationships with Japan and five countries of the Mekong region.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TOKYO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Japan and five Mekong nations agreed Saturday to cooperate on issues such as environmental protection and climate change in the next ten years.

    In the first summit that opened Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and leaders of the five countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam adopted the Tokyo Declaration, urging enhanced cooperation between the two sides on the environmental issues.

    To encourage the region's further development, Japan pledged more than 500 billion yen (5.6 billion U.S. dollars) in official aid to the countries along the Mekong River over the next three years from fiscal 2010.

    The Japanese premier will also meet separately with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung later in the day.

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (3rd L) gestures at the end of a photo session with leaders of the Mekong river region (L-R) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the State Guest House in Tokyo November 6, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>