Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi told visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday Japan will send an economic research mission in August to six Asian countries hit by the region's currency crisis, a Foreign Ministry official said.
During their talks Thursday afternoon at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, Mahathir said he appreciated Japan's effort and that Malaysia would fully explain its experience with the crisis to the mission, the official said.
The mission, to be headed by Toyota Motor Corp. President Hiroshi Okuda, will be tasked with designing further measures to help resuscitate the crisis-damaged economies.
The seven-member delegation of Japanese business leaders will leave around the end of August to visit Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea.
The group will then be expected to compile a report by early November that will become the basis for further Japanese support for Asia.
Mahathir is in Japan attending a two-day private forum on the future of Asia that began Thursday.
Obuchi formally announced the plan later in the day at a reception for the forum participants, including Philippine President Joseph Estrada and former Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew.