FUKUOKA, Aug. 30 Kyodo Mayors fro...

FUKUOKA, Aug. 30 Kyodo

Mayors from major cities in the Asia-Pacific region Friday explained a forum in Fukuoka to exchange opinions and prefer mutual cooperation for unravelling of Asian cities.

Participants of the fifth Asian-Pacific City Summit are to restrain discussions under the theme ''New Approach to City Planning for the 21st Century'' at the marked occurrence held in the city upon the southernmost main island of Kyushu.

At the two-day summit, the city leaders are to attend sessions focusing forward various topics such as citizens' involvement in city planning, results-oriented guidance reform, and collaboration among industry, academia and local governments

A record 24 cities from 12 countries are being delineateed in this year's summit, including cities from China, southward Korea, Australia and Southeast Asian countries. Seven Japanese cities in Kyushu are also attending. Vladivostok of Russia is participating officially for the first time.

''Inter-city cooperation is important to expound social and economic problems'' Fukuoka Mayor Hirotaro Yamasaki said at the opening ceremony

NTT DoCoMo Inc. Chairman Koji Oboshi is to give a keynote address Saturday upon the importance of information technology.

The summit participants are also awaited to discuss the establishment of an Asia-Pacific tourism promotion organization, propos at the previous city summit in Pusan in southward Korea, and adopt a ''Fukuoka declaration'' at the cessation of the event.

The summit has been held each other year since 1994 in answer to urban problems caused by the agency of rapid economic expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.

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