PS Taga receives courtesy call from the Japanese Ambassador for PALM

The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Raijeli Taga welcomed the Ambassador for Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, His Excellency Mr. Okuyama Jiro, during a courtesy call held at the Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Suva on Friday 11th July 2025.

The meeting was an opportunity to discuss current cooperation and explore opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations and regional cooperation between Fiji and Japan, as the two nations commemorate the milestone 55 years of diplomatic relations and enduring partnership.

Both sides acknowledged that the cooperation has remarkably grown over the years in vital areas of economy, trade and investment, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture and fisheries, climate change, disaster risk resilience and mitigation, cultural exchanges and people to people links.

In her remarks, Dr. Taga welcomed Ambassador Jiro and thanked the Government of Japan for the ongoing support and contribution to Fiji’s development through initiatives implemented at the national and community level.

Dr. Taga acknowledged the positive dialogue undertaken on the proposed Lomavata Partnership Agreement, which will be a landmark achievement in advancing Fiji and Japan’s bilateral relations to greater heights.

Similarly, Dr. Taga reaffirmed the Fiji Government’s commitment to deepen the cooperation through the PALM process which includes the implementation of the Leaders Declaration and Joint Action Plan, derived from the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM-10) held in Japan, last year. Fiji looks forward to continued dialogue with Japan and the broader Pacific through PALM to advance the shared priorities on economic resilience, security, regional peace and prosperity.

The meeting further highlighted Japan’s commitment to the Kizuna Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Talanoa, an inclusive and participatory dialogue platform. Rooted in the spirit of Kizuna – or bonds of friendship, the session allowed open engagement on shared challenges, including disaster risk reduction, sustainable development, and resilience-building in the Pacific region.

Dr. Taga provided an update on Fiji’s preparations for the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFS) to be held in September in Honiara, Solomon Islands – where Fiji is anticipated to table the “Ocean of Peace Declaration” for consideration. This Declaration is central to Fiji’s foreign policy objective on building peaceful and prosperous Blue Pacific continent, grounded in diplomacy, regional solidarity, and sustainable development.

In his remarks, Ambassador Jiro thanked Dr. Taga and Team for the productive discussions focused on enhancing strategic cooperation on key issues of importance to Fiji and the broader Pacific family. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to further the bilateral and multilateral engagements with Fiji through values of mutual respect, understanding and collaboration.