Japan – Tonga Summit Meeting (Summary)

[Provisional translation]

On July 17, commencing at 1:40pm for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, held a Japan-Tonga Summit Meeting with Hon. Hu‘akavameiliku, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, who is visiting Japan to participate in the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10). The overview of the meeting is as follows:

1. Prime Minister Kishida stated that at PALM 10, with the cooperation of Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku, he wishes to further strengthen the “kizuna” between Japan and the Pacific Island countries, to discuss cooperation aligned with the “2050 Strategy for Blue Pacific Continent,” and to make the meeting an opportunity to communicate domestically as well as internationally the direction that Japan and the Pacific Island countries are taking together.
2. Prime Minister Kishida conveyed the decision to provide fire-fighting equipments, in addition to the cooperation for recovery from the 2022 volcano eruption including introduction of nationwide early warning system. Both leaders had also welcomed expansion in defense cooperation including participation of FFM “Noshiro” at the International Naval Review hosted by the Kingdom of Tonga, and consent on the acceptance of cadets from His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Kingdom of Tonga at the National Defense Academy of Japan. Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku expressed his hope for successful PALM 10, and his gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for Japan’s cooperation and stated that he looked forward to enhanced cooperation between the two countries.
3. Regarding the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea, Prime Minister Kishida explained that Japan would continue its efforts to ensure safety, and Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku expressed his warm welcome.
4. Both leaders also exchanged views on various regional issues.
5. Taking this opportunity of the bilateral meeting, with the presence of Prime Minister Kishida and Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku, a Memorandum of Technical Cooperation document regarding water supply and sewage systems was made and exchanged between Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and Ministry for Public Enterprises, Kingdom of Tonga.