Japan is committed to providing financial and technical assistance to Mekong countries in protecting environment and addressing impact of climate change, said Hidenobu Sobashima, Deputy Press Secretary of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs?in Hanoi?on Thursday.

The assistance is under the framework of the Japan's initiative "A Decade toward the Green Mekong" introduced by the Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada at the third Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday, said Hidenobu Sobashima at a press briefing held here on Thursday to brief the outcomes of the meeting.

Sobashima said this initiative was endorsed by the ministers of Mekong region countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam),?and they expressed their willingness to join hands in bringing the initiative into reality.

Japan would also continue support to Mekong region countries for the development of the physical, institutional and people-to- people connectivity in the connection with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, said Sobashima.

Sobashima said Japan and Mekong region countries would work together to enhance close cooperation on regional and global issues of common concern and to deepen and broaden the existing cooperation to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region.