Tokyo promised Thursday to provide Armenia with up to 544 million yen in grants to help it improve its medical system and preserve historical documents, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and her Armenian counterpart, Vartan Oskanian, exchanged diplomatic notes on the grants during a meeting at the ministry.

Tokyo will provide up to 495 million yen in grant aid to help Armenia replace aging medical equipment, the ministry said.

Health care there has deteriorated since Armenia gained its independence in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1988, it suffered a major earthquake that killed some 25,000 people and became embroiled in a conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over ownership of the Nagorno Karabakh region.

Japan will also provide up to 49.3 million yen in cultural grant aid so the state-run Matenadaran-Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts can purchase equipment to help it preserve various historical documents, according to the ministry.

During the talks, Oskanian thanked Japan for its support, including the provision of official development assistance and its encouragement in terms of resolving the Nagorno Karabakh situation, a ministry official said.

Oskanian told Tanaka that he hopes Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon reach an accord on Nagorno Karabakh, noting that leaders of the two sides have been negotiating since a ceasefire agreement was concluded in 1994, according to the official.

He was quoted as saying that Armenia has become relatively stable over recent years, and is enjoying steady economic development, a low inflation rate and a stable currency.

Oskanian expressed support for Japan's ongoing drive to expand the membership of the U.N. Security Council and become a permanent member.

He told Tanaka that Armenia may open an embassy in Tokyo next year.