Japan's prime minister on Saturday called for a drop in trade barriers, saying the global financial crisis called for meticulous and far-reaching efforts.

"The world economy is facing a crisis that is said to occur only once a century," Taro Aso told the World Economic Forum in a solo address to scores of politicians, business chieftains, policy makers and analysts.

"Economic prosperity is now confronted by challenges around the world," he said, speaking in Japanese.

To help speed the recovery from the global financial meltdown, he said that wealthy nations, including oil-producers in the Middle East, must help fortify smaller countries and help strike a balance between competition and compassion.

Aso cited his country's decision to provide $100 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund and is ready to provide $17 billion (1.5 trillion yen) in official development assistance.

Those efforts should include the precondition "that the flow of trade and investment not be prohibited."

"We will resolutely fight all protectionism," he said, "in order to put the world economy back on its trajectory."

Aso called on the world's leaders to ensure that their countries also "enhance internal demand and sustain internal growth."

"Aberrational economic circumstances call for extraordinary responses," he said. "That is the experience of Japan in the 1990s."