19 February 2012 Last updated at 22:14 ET

Japan and China 'will help eurozone through IMF'

Finance minister Jun Azumi said Japan and China will respond together to the IMF

Leaders in Japan and China have said they will help the eurozone solve its debt crisis through the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi met Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan in Beijing on Sunday.

Last month the IMF said it may need to increase lending by $600bn to counter the effects of the eurozone crisis.

However the two countries said members of the regional bloc would also have to do more.

"We agreed that Japan and China will coordinate closely and will jointly respond to the IMF," said Mr Azumi.

"European countries need to do more, although (the situation), including with Greece, is headed in a good direction", he added.

Mr Azumi said the two countries had not discussed the amount of any funding support through the IMF.

Earlier this month Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said China was considering increasing its role in providing funds for Europe, but he said authorities were still deciding what form that would take.