The Permanent Secretary of Office of the Prime Minister and Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Yogesh Karan met with the Hon. Norihiro Nakayama, the Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. The meeting took place last week Tuesday 4th February in Tokyo along the margins of the Senior Officials' Meeting of the 9th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (SOM9) in Japan.
The meeting featured elaborate discussions on upcoming programs to expand opportunities for deepened cooperation between Fiji and Japan in social, economic and political areas of development.
PS Karan conveyed Fiji’s sincere appreciation to Japan and its people for their unwavering commitment and support which has enabled Fiji-Japan collaborations to grow from strength to strength.
He said the commemoration of 50 years of Fiji-Japan relations this year is a milestone achievement for the two nations, and that it is a testament of their unprecedented cooperation and great friendship.
Hon. Nakayama commended the Fijian Government’s strong leadership in advancing the universal goals on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to advance Fiji-Japan cooperation through enhanced engagements at upcoming high level meetings which will present unlimited opportunities and platforms to forge stronger ties between the two nations.
He stated that a Japanese delegation is expected to participate at the upcoming Fiji Economic Mission scheduled in Fiji in February 2020 which is an outcome of PALM8.
The relationship between the two nations will be further elevated following high-level meetings and greater levels of engagements between Fiji and Japan in 2020. These include:
· Proposed plans on initiating Fiji and Japan PM Bilateral Summit in Japan;
· Japan-Fiji Parliamentary Friendship League members are expected to visit Fiji to attend the 50th Independence Jubilee Anniversary celebration in recognition of the Fiji-Japan diplomatic relations;
· Provision of potential funding by Japan towards developing volunteer cooperation program and work training programs; and
· Japan has assured continued support for Fiji, in its preparation to host the 4th PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting in July 2020. It will be significant given that it would be the first time for such an important event, to be hosted outside Japan and in a Pacific island nation.
PS Karan also spoke of the positive outcomes of the meeting he had with Hon. Tomohiro Yamamoto, State Minister of Defense, in particular the possibility of innovative program exchanges in defence and security sectors.