Japan vows to play 'active role' in peace process

In his first meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi today pledged to provide €78.5m in economic aid to Palestine and vowed that Japan would play an “active role” in the Middle East peace process.

Koizumi also said Japan would be happy to host a summit between Abbas and his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He said Sharon is expected to visit Japan soon, and said he would sound him out on the summit proposal.