Japan and four Central Asian countries agreed to cooperate on fighting terrorism, anti-drugs, energy, transportation, environment and other issues during a one- day ministerial Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue held on Monday in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported.

According to an action plan, the participating countries pledged to improve border management to prevent the proliferation of terrorism and drugs, said Kyodo.

Japan, for its part, plans to help Tajikistan to build a " southern route" through Afghanistan and make it easier to transport resources such as oil and natural gas out of Central Asia.

Foreign ministers Taro Aso of Japan, Elyor Ganiyev of Uzbekistan, Alikbek Dzhekshenkulov of Kyrgyzstan and Talbak Nazarov of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan's vice foreign minister and special government envoy Kairat Abdrakhmanov took part in the meeting, the second of its kind with the first one held in August 2004 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Afghanistan, which sent Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to the forum for the first time, turned up as an observer. Turkmenistan was the only Central Asian nation that did not participate.

Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said that ensuring stability and prosperity in Central Asia is vital to help prevent terrorism and drug proliferation in the region and the world, according to Kyodo.

The participants also reached a common stance on the reform of the United Nations, with the Central Asian nations vowing to support Japan for its bid to win a permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

Source: Xinhua