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On May 18, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8), which was held in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.
 
First, the Prime Minister participated in a memorial service in a disaster-affected area of Fukushima Prefecture, where he laid a wreath and offered a silent prayer.
 
Afterwards, the Prime Minister held talks, respectively, with H.E. Mr. Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr., President of the Republic of Palau; H.E. Mr. Peter Martin Christian, President of the Federated States of Micronesia; H.E. Dr. Hilda C. Heine, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands; H.E. Mr. Taneti Maamau, President of the Republic of Kiribati; the Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands; the Hon. Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea; and H.E. Mr. Baron Divavesi Waqa, President of the Republic of Nauru.
 
Following this, Prime Minister Abe and Mrs. Abe hosted a banquet, and enjoyed a performance by the Hula Girls dancers.   
 
In his greetings at the banquet, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Good evening, everyone. I would like to welcome the leaders of the Pacific islands countries and their spouses, and everyone else in attendance, to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. I am truly pleased to meet everyone again here in Iwaki City after three years. The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) is an important summit meeting where we strengthen our family-like ties as island countries sharing the Pacific Ocean, a huge body of water, and strengthen our partnership to address various issues of the region, inviting friends from the Pacific island countries to Japan every three years. More than 20 years have passed since we held the first PALM summit and, welcoming new friends, the PALM has evolved into an even more robust partnership participated in by 19 countries and regions including Japan. I hope that everyone will join me in welcoming President Germain of New Caledonia and Minister Maamaatuaiahutapu of French Polynesia with a round of applause.
 
Reconstruction is advancing steadily here in Fukushima. Last time, everyone from the Pacific island countries visited and offered flowers at Usuiso Beach during PALM7, and it was opened again to the public last July for the first time since the disaster. The cheers of children have now returned to the sea. I hope that everyone could feel for themselves how reconstruction has progressed greatly compared to three years ago during the memorial ceremony at Iwakikaisei High School today.
 
For dinner tonight, we have prepared a Washoku menu (traditional dietary culture of the Japanese), a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, using abundant seasonal ingredients locally sourced in Fukushima, paired with locally-produced beverages. I myself eat rice from Fukushima every day. It is safe and delicious. Please enjoy tonight’s dinner to your heart’s content.
 
I suspect that many people may want to start eating soon. I feel the same way, but I still have two points I would like to introduce. One is related to kimonos, another aspect of traditional Japanese culture alongside Washoku. Toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Kimono Project, which creates kimonos with motifs of the 196 countries of the world, is underway. Later, we will see a show debuting kimonos using regional motifs of the countries and regions participating in the PALM8. These kimonos use silk thread made in Fukushima. I hope that you will all enjoy the beautiful kimono show later highlighting the various Pacific island countries and regions. In addition, after dinner, we will change locations and enjoy a collaborative performance by the Hula Girls and high school students from Samoa. Continuing on from last time, the Hula Girls, the symbol of Spa Resort Hawaiians, will present a performance for us. This time, the dancers are joined by Samoan high school students as guest performers, who are scheduled to perform a Polynesian dance. I hope that everyone will enjoy both dances. As high school students from authentic Samoa are joining, the Hula Girls have practiced in corresponding high spirits.
 
With that, I would like to propose a toast to the success of this Summit and the bountiful future of the Pacific Ocean. Cheers!”