TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday announced a target of developing 100,000 personnel with advanced digital skills over the next five years in cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Human resources are the foundation of digital transformation efforts, Kishida said in a speech at a Tokyo meeting on Asian politics and economics.

He also said that a ministerial conference of the Asia Zero Emission Community, a framework for cooperation with Southeast Asia for decarbonization led by Japan, will take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, in August.

On the three-way summit among Japan, China and South Korea slated for Monday, Kishida showed an eagerness to expand the benefits of the trilateral cooperation to other countries and regions.

JIJI Press