On December 7, Mr. Yoshihiko Noda, the Prime Minister of Japan, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Michel Joseph Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti, who was officially visiting Japan, at the Prime Minister's Office for approximately 20 minutes from 10:00 am. An overview of the meeting is as follows. Attendants from the Japanese side included, Mr. Hirokazu Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary. Attendants from the Haitian side, included H.E. Mr. Pierre-Richard Casimir, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, Mr. Wilson Laleau, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Mr. Gregory Mayard-Paul, Special Advisor of the President. Following the summit meeting, Mr. Kenji Kuratomi, Japanese Ambassador to Haiti, and Mr. Pierre-Richard Casimir, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, signed an Exchange of Notes concerning grant aid to Haiti (food aid amounting to 540 million yen) in the presence of Prime Minister Noda and President Martelly.

1. Opening
   
   (1) Prime Minister Noda welcomed President Martelly's visit to Japan, which is the first-ever visit by an incumbent Haitian President, and expressed his condolences for the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy at the end of last October.
   
   (2) Moreover, Prime Minister Noda stated that since both Japan and Haiti are subject to natural disasters, the two countries face a common issue of restoration from natural disasters. Prime Minister Noda went on to express his will to further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries in the future as well.
   
   (3) In response to this, President Martelly expressed his gratitude for the invitation and stated that he would like to further strengthen bilateral relations through this visit.
   
   
2. Bilateral relations
   
   (1) Prime Minister Noda stated that taking into consideration the severe food situation in Haiti, the Government of Japan had decided to newly provide food aid of 540 million yen. Prime Minister Noda explained that in the wake of the Haiti Earthquake in 2010, the Government of Japan had provided support exceeding 140 million US dollars, while a total of approximately 2,200 personnel from the Self-Defense Forces who were dispatched to Haiti for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) conducted activities such as the demolition of damaged buildings, removal of rubble, and road repairs. In addition, Prime Minister Noda stated that the Government of Japan would continue to provide support to Haiti mainly in the fields of health and hygiene, and education for the restoration from the earthquake and establishment of basic social services.
   
   (2) Even after the withdrawal of the Self-Defense Forces scheduled at the end of December this year. In response to this, President Martelly expressed his gratitude for Japan's support to Haiti, including the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to the United Nations Haiti peacekeeping operation. Moreover, President Martelly also expressed his gratitude for the food aid, stating that the food aid the Government of Japan had newly decided to provide was exactly what Haiti needed.
   
   (3) Furthermore, President Martelly explained the domestic situation of agriculture, food, and environment and requested support from Japan in these fields.
   
   
3. Following the summit meeting and signing ceremony of the Exchange of Notes, both leaders held a joint press conference from 10:30 a.m. and explained the significance and content of the meeting.
   Subsequently, both leaders exchanged gifts. President Martelly presented a piece of a pillar of the National Palace of Haiti which had collapsed during the Haiti Earthquake in January 2010. Prime Minister Noda presented junmai-shu (pure sake) "Phoenix" produced by Hishiya Shuzou Co., Ltd. in Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, and "Hama no Misanga (Micanga of the shore) Tamaki" as symbols of the restoration from the earthquake.