Asian coast guard officials began a three-day meeting in Singapore on Tuesday to discuss Japan's proposal that Asian countries cooperate to combat piracy the region.
"We have high expectations that we will have a very constructive exchange of opinions," said Masaru Kubota, director general of the guard and rescue department of Japan's Maritime Safety Agency, which organized the meeting.
Officials will discuss Japan's proposal for coast guard agencies in the region to cooperate with each other to step up enforcement, inspection and rescue operations on the high seas.
"We would also like to discuss the possibility of establishing communication centers or information centers through which we can exchange information," Kubota said before the start of the three-day meeting.