China offer Japan support on the virus outbreak

China on Friday offered Japan support and assistance during an the outbreak of the new coronavirus, even as infections continue to rise in China and in other parts of the world.

Senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Japan on Friday and both leaders stressed their willingness to cooperate bilaterally to deal with the outbreak.

Yang said China would actively provide support and assistance based on requests from Japan.

"We would like to overcome this difficulty with the Japanese side," he told Motegi during the meeting.

Motegi meanwhile stressed there were no plans to change the schedule of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan and that preparations would continue as planned.

Xi is due to visit Japan in April.

Japan's schools prepared to close for almost a month and entertainers cancelled events as a virus epidemic extended its spread through Asia into Europe and on Friday, into sub-Saharan Africa.

The Japanese island of Hokkaido meanwhile, was declaring a state of emergency over the rapid spread of the new virus there.

The governor said the emergency will continue until mid-March.