Japan will consider additional aid to areas in Asia devastated by Sunday's powerful quake off Indonesia's Sumatra Island and subsequent tsunamis, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura indicated Thursday.

"There may be a need for additional aid. We will consider it," Machimura told reporters.

He also said additional aid to other Asian countries affected by the quake and tsunamis will be discussed next Tuesday at a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers.

Japan has pledged 30 million US dollars, or 3.1 billion yen, to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Machimura said the assistance may not be sufficient as the extent of the damage becomes clear.

"I think international organizations as well as affected nations will appeal for aid when the new year begins," he said.

More than 80,000 people have been reported dead in the wake of the disaster, which began with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off Sumatra.