Japan is going to provide a stockpile of 500,000 courses of antivirals and 750,000 personnel protective equipment for 750,000 people of the ASEAN country members, said Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the Association of the South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday during the second day of the special meeting of health ministers from the ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea.

The two-day special meeting, which was hosted in Thailand's capital Bangkok, had started from Thursday in order to brainstorm in finding precautionary measures to prevent the A/H1N1 flu outbreak in the region.

"Though we have shown our resolve that our health systems remain capable of containing the spread of the disease, this is not the time to be complacent. We can not afford to let our guards down. A pandemic remains a formidable challenge to our region," said Surin.

Hence, the ASEAN Secretary-General said, the ASEAN region is committed to the realization of the ASEAN Charter towards building a caring and sharing community, through helping one another, ensuring peace and prosperity, and protecting the people of our region and of our neighbors.