Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during a visit to Cambodia has expressed his strong support for the initiative known as ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. He vowed to advance cooperation with Japan's regional partners.

Kishida on Saturday joined the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, together with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Addressing the gathering, Kishida said the framework, which is marking its 25th anniversary, has achieved results in a number of fields such as financial cooperation and food security, and a joint response to various crises including COVID-19.

He said he hopes ASEAN Plus Three will move forward with fresh planning from next year to implement undertakings in new areas including digital economy and strengthened agriculture.

Kishida expressed firm support for ASEAN Outlook, which advocates respect for international laws and transparency in the Indo-Pacific region. He said Japan is ready to advance cooperation in maritime affairs, high-quality infrastructure and food security.

During the meeting, Kishida is expected to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its threats to use nuclear weapons. He will argue that no unilateral change to the status quo by force will be tolerated in Asia or anywhere else in the world, and call for the maintenance of international order based on freedom and the rule of law.