Pacific Journalists at the Hisanohama Shopping Center

A group of Pacific journalists, including Tonga's Telesia Adams, toured tsunami hit areas in Iwaki city, Japan that was devastated by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, last year.

Pacific journalists from Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, Cook Islands, Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands visited the tsunami hit areas on May 22, as part of activities held prior to the Sixth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting in Nago City, Okinawa from May 25-26.

Journalists met with residents who were living at temporary shelters after loosing their homes and livelihood to the disaster.

Iwaki City, is in Hisanohama District located on the southern part of the Hamadori coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Tonga's Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano is at the PALM 6 meeting. Major issues discussed included response to climate change, the environment and climate change, sustainable development based upon human security, people to people exchanges and maritime issues.

The meeting is co-chaired by Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Hon Henry Puna, the Prime Minister of Cook Islands and chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, and attended by 16 Pacific Island countries with representatives from Australia, New Zealand and the Untied States.