Visit to Japan by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Republic of Liberia
(Overview and assessment)
March 15, 2007
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Republic of Liberia, together with related government officials and ministers, paid a working visit to Japan from Sunday, March 11 through Wednesday, March 14 at the invitation of the Government of Japan. The following is an overview and assessment of the visit.
1. Overview
(1) While in Japan, President Johnson-Sirleaf was received by His Majesty The Emperor, and held meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mrs. Abe, Minister of Finance Koji Omi, President of the House of Councillors Chikage Oogi, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Senior Vice President Atsushi Hatakenaka. President Johnson-Sirleaf also attended a reception hosted by Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso and delivered a lecture at United Nations (UN) University entitled "The Role of Women in African Development."
(2) The following is an overview of the summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe.
(a) At the meeting, Prime Minister Abe welcomed President Johnson-Sirleaf on her first visit to Japan in the capacity of the President of Liberia. Prime Minister Abe said that he highly evaluated the leadership shown by the President Sirleaf in her dedication to good governance, national reconciliation, and efforts to reconstruct Liberia as the first elected female head of state in Africa.
(b) President Johnson-Sirleaf expressed her deep gratitude for the assistance Japan had extended thus far and its newly announced plans for further assistance for Liberia's commitment to the consolidation of peace.
(c) The two leaders confirmed that their countries were important partners in the international arenas and that both countries as such would continue coordination and cooperation on UN Security Council reform and North Korean issues.
2. Assessment
(1) At each of the meetings, President Johnson-Sirleaf and the other officials from Liberia expressed deep gratitude for the support that Japan has provided Liberia until now, and highly praised Japan's assistance policy for Africa, which places importance on the consolidation of peace.
(2) President Johnson-Sirleaf has received attention from the international community as the first female democratically-elected president in Africa and is making steady efforts in post-conflict reconstruction of the nation; thus, while in Japan, she received many requests for interviews from the press. The President energetically responded to the requests, and as a result received an exceptional amount of media coverage for a key figure from Africa.
(3) At the meeting with Mrs. Abe and the reception hosted by Foreign Minister Aso, a young Liberian girl named Martha Turkett, who lives in Kobe, and a nurse Tomoko Miki were also in attendance. President Johnson-Sirleaf greeted Ms. Miki with warm, heartfelt gratitude for the support that she has provided to Martha, who is a victim of the civil war. The President expressed that she was determined to make an effort as president to prevent this type of tragedy from ever occurring again. The meeting and reception served as an impressive example demonstrating the close relationship between Japan and Liberia at the grassroots level in the area of humanitarian assistance.
(4) The visit by President Johnson-Sirleaf, the first to Japan by a Liberian President, was timely, taking place immediately after Japan's announcement of the resumption of bilateral economic assistance for Liberia, and it appears that the positive bilateral relations between the countries were further strengthened. Obtaining Liberia's understanding and support with regard to Japan's stance on North Korean issues and UN reform and Security Council reform seems to have become an important foundation for Japan to address these diplomatic issues in the future.
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