China will provide support and assistance to Japan where more infection cases of the novel coronavirus occur, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday.

China is paying close attention to the situation in Japan and is willing to share information and experience with the country in prevention and control, said Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from the ministry.

The two countries have started the work, Geng said.

Geng also expressed gratitude to Japan for helping China since the outbreak, reiterating that the virus knows no borders, and the international community should come together to defeat it.

At least 60 cases have been confirmed in Japan so far. An additional 454 people on board Japan's Diamond Princess cruise ship have also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

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(Cover photo: Pedestrians wear protective masks as they walk through a shopping district in Tokyo, Japan on January 16, 2020. /AP Photo)