Japan will soon provide 38 countries with the anti-flu drug Avigan, which is seen as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu says the countries, which include the Netherlands, the Philippines and Malaysia, will receive the anti-flu drug developed by a Japanese company.

He said they are among more than 70 countries that have requested a supply of Avigan that the Japanese government has offered to provide for free.

Motegi said recipient countries will send clinical trial data to Japan.

He stressed that it's crucial to develop curative drugs to contain the pandemic. He said he will push ahead with public-private partnerships and international cooperation to promote development of medicines to treat the virus.