WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Taro Aso on Saturday voiced hope that China will follow Japan's commitment to raise funds to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Mr Aso admitted failing to draw an accord from China to pump more money into the IMF during a two-day global summit on the world financial crisis, which ended on Saturday.

'But China is not a country which makes immediate replies to such issues,' Mr Aso told a news conference.

'We can't say it's no good only because (China) did not make remarks,' he said.

'In that sense, I still have expectations.'

Japan announced a plan to lend up to US$100 billion (S$152 billion) to the IMF to help provide financial lifelines to crisis-hit emerging countries, while calling on other member economies to double funds to the institution.

At almost US$980 billion, Japan has the second largest foreign exchange reserves in the world, after China, as a result of years of market intervention to keep the yen down against the dollar and help exporters stay competitive.

The IMF is expected to extend large loans to countries such as Iceland, Hungary and Ukraine to help them weather the current financial crisis. -- AFP