Japan continues to strengthen its partnership with Pacific island countries commiting to more regional development in the Pacific at the 3^rd Ministerial Interim Meeting between 16 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) member countries and Japan’s Government representatives in Tokyo, Japan on 17 January.

In attendance was Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, HE Mr Fumio Kishida, Hon Lorin Robert, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia, as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, and Tonga’s Ambassador to Japan, HE Ms Tania Tupou as well as other Pacific leaders.

The meeting follows the seventh Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM), which is held every three years, initiated by Japan since 1997 in an effort to strengthen ties with PIFs to develop the Pacific region. 

Secretary Robert told the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) that “the meeting was an opportunity for renewed commitments by the Government of Japan and Forum Members, to their cooperative relationship”.

“We agreed that the goal to achieve self-sufficient and sustainable development will include further efforts to address environmental challenges including climate change and deeper engagement to facilitate more robust trade and investment relations in the region,” he said.

Minister Kishida told PIFs that Japan intends to continue to contribute to human resource development and people to people exchanges of Pacific island countries in various fields that best reflect their needs such as disaster risk reduction, climate change, environment, trade, investment, tourism and marine resources. To date, Japan has provided approximately 61 billion JPY in development assistance.

The outcome of the meeting also placed emphasis on continuing all the commitments made in the PALM 7, uphold free and open maritime order, cooperate in the international fora which lead to PIFs reiterating their support for Japan's cadidacy bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and working together towards the vision of PALM 8.  

The PALM 8 vision includes exploring new fields of cooperation such as disability and sports, considering the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and other major international sporting events hosted by Pacific island countries.

The next PALM (PALM 8) will be held in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan between 18 – 19 May, 2018.