Lord Tu'ivakano and Mr Mitsuya

The Government of Japan provided a grant assistance of around $3.7 million (TOP) or $200 million (JPY) to assist Tonga meet its social and economic needs by providing products manufactured by Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises.

Mr Mitsuya said the aid made under Japan’s Non-Project Grant Aid for the provision of Japanese small and medium sized enterprises products 2013.

The Non-Project Grant Assistance provides foreign currency for the importation of products manufactured by the Japanese small and medium enterprises.

This aid will support Tonga’s development efforts to address its economic and social needs by utilising the unique, efficient and user-friendly technology from Japanese small and medium sized enterprises, he said.

The Tongan Government had chosen products such as medical instruments, transport machineries, industrial machineries, pollution prevention equipment, disaster prevention measure equipment, agricultural machineries and education-related instruments, said the Embassy of Japan in Nuku’alofa.

The Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano signed and exchanged notes with Norio Mitsuya, Japan's Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs on February 24, during a two-day visit to Nuku'alofa.

Lord Tu’ivakano said he looked forward to closer collaboration with Japan in the area of trade and investment in an upcoming Symposium in June this year.

The Senior Vice-Minister also visited other Japanese funded projects including Vaiola Hospital, a new Japanese Language Center at the Tonga Institute of Education and the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa ferry.