Singapore welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's apology to countries which suffered Japanese aggression during World War II, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

It is in the interest of Japan and all these countries to build upon this positive action of the Japanese Prime Minister, the foreign ministry said.

Singapore expects that the apology will begin a process of stabilizing relations between Japan, China and the Republic of Korea, which "is in the interest of the entire region," according to the foreign ministry.

Koizumi said at the opening ceremony Friday of the ongoing Asian-African summit in Jakarta that Japan felt "deep remorse" and "heartfelt apology" over its wartime atrocities and would stick to the principle of resolving all matters by peaceful means.

Source: Xinhua