Japan PM urges island leaders to create a beautiful eco-friendly Pacific [1]
Saturday, May 23, 2009 - 13:30. Updated on Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 21:52.
By Linny Folau
The Fifth Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting "PALM 5" was opened yesterday Friday, May 22 at the Tomamu Alpha Ski Resort in Hokkaido, Japan, and deliberated under the theme "We are islanders - towards an eco friendly and rich Pacific".
Attended by leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum the two day meeting will discuss the main objectives creating a Pacific environmental community, rich in overcoming vulnerabilities and promoting human security as well as strengthening people-to-people exchange.
The Prime Minister of Japan, HE Mr Taro Aso, said in his opening address that since the first Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting in 1997 Japan had pledged and declared "that we are part of the Pacific Ocean and we share its richness and beauty and that connectedness with the Pacific is the reason why Japan has developed as a maritime state."
He said that, secondly, Japan as an island state has developed as a pacifist nation relying on trade and they had accumulated technology and were leading the world in the environmental issues "and we would like to share this with the Pacific region."
The Prime Minister added that as partners with Pacific islands they were doing as much as they could to help the Pacific try to overcome challenges in human security, human resource development, and nation development, through Japan's International Cooperation Agency and its volunteers service, JOCV.
"We will continue to do our best to cooperate in the areas of health education and water and sanitation," confirmed Japan's Prime Minister.
Aid increase
He said in the last PALM 4 held in Okinawa in 2006 Japan committed $45 billion yen of financial assistance through grants to the Pacific exchange and also committed to send at least 1,000 youth through its exchange programs in human resource development. "We have achieved those targets in the last three years," he said.
"Therefore PALM 5 reaffirms its commitment to the Pacific Islands and will continue to engage in a developing a vision and an action plan to achieve a beautiful Pacific for the next generation.
"I want to send out this vibrant message to the world at the end of this meeting and to have candid exchange with leaders so as to create a truly beautiful Pacific that is eco friendly," added the Prime Minister.
It is expected that the Japanese Prime Minister will also be announcing an increase its financial assistance of 45 billion yen to the Pacific Island Forum for the next three years at a joint press conference held this afternoon with the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Climate change
PALM 5 then continued to its First Session where leaders deliberated under Environment and the adverse impact of Climate Change. The meeting continues today, May 22 with its second and third session before leaders adopt a declaration.
The Prime Minister of Japan also held individual bilateral meetings with Pacific Leaders before hosting a welcoming dinner for participants.
Pacific Leaders and representatives attending represent Japan, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, and Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
PALM 5 is co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Japan, HE Mr Taro Aso, and the chair of the PIF and Premier of Niue, the Hon Toke Talagi.