Japan-Palau Summit Meeting (Summary)
June 14, 2023
[Provisional translation]
On June 14, commencing at 6:15 p.m. for approximately 45 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Surangel S. Whipps, Jr., President of the Republic of Palau who is visiting Japan.
- At the outset, Prime Minister Kishida stated that he was glad to see President Whipps again since his visit to Japan last September, and expressed his deep appreciation for Palau’s understanding and trust in Japan's sincere efforts to ensure the safety of ALPS treated water. In response, President Whipps expressed his pleasure to come back to Japan and to see Prime Minister Kishida again, and stated that he was able to see firsthand and confirm the meticulous efforts that scientists and experts have been making to ensure safety of ALPS treated water through his visit to Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant yesterday. He also stated that Palau believes in science, and this visit reemphasized the trust for what people in Japan have done to ensure people’s health and safety under the leadership of Prime Minister Kishida.
- The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen Japan-Palau relationship. Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan would actively cooperate with Palau in various fields, including the promotion of tourism, which is Palau's main industry, and infrastructure development. In response, President Whipps expressed his appreciation again for the support Japan has provided to Palau. The two leaders also concurred on the importance of revitalizing people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and shared the view on working together to promote the resumption of direct flights between Japan and Palau.
- Prime Minister Kishida expressed his strong support for the PIF's "2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent" and the "family first" principle for the regional peace and security. He also stated that, in order to realize a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)", Japan would continue to cooperate with Pacific Island countries making full use of Japan’s own strengths while respecting the agendas of the countries. The two leaders also concurred on the importance of the realization of FOIP, and confirmed that both countries would continue to cooperate.
- Regarding the discharge of ALPS treated water, Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan, after concurring on the importance of intensive dialogues with the PIF delegation in February, has been steadily implementing the dialogues with Pacific Island countries at the political and expert levels. In response, President Whipps expressed his appreciation again for those Japan's efforts.
- Prime Minister Kishida also stated that, at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, he had discussions with other leaders on various challenges facing the international community, such as climate change, as well as global peace and stability, and explained those outcomes to President Whipps. The two leaders, taking into account the outcomes of the Summit, concurred on further strengthening of the relationship with the Pacific Island countries including Palau.
