Japan says it will provide 60 billion dollar in loans to the International Monetary Fund, IMF, to boost its efforts to contain the European sovereign debt crisis. The Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi announced this at a news conference in Tokyo today. The announcement makes Japan the first non-European country to commit additional resources to the IMF. Eurozone countries have made 200 billion dollar in pledges. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde welcomed Japan's announcement,. He described it as an important step forward in promoting global economic stability. Japan's IMF pledge comes days before meetings in Washington of the IMF and World Bank, and a parallel summit of Finance Mnisters from 20 of the world's biggest economies.