Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Thursday vowed to support the Associations of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the beginning of an online ASEAN summit open to the media, Suga said Japan would offer continuous assistance for an ASEAN center for the infectious diseases, which will be established following a proposal in April by Suga's predecessor Shinzo Abe.

"We will not hesitate to keep supporting (the center) so that it will serve a vital role in protecting people in the region from the threat of infectious diseases," Suga said.

He also stressed the importance of concerted measures in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the prime minister vowed to continue supporting the region through a series of infrastructure investment projects worth 2 trillion yen (19 billion U.S. dollars), including the construction of ports and railways.