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Visit to Japan of Prime Minister Pierre Charles of the Commonwealth of Dominica
(Outline and Evaluation)

19 July 2001

From 15 to 19 July, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Charles of the Commonwealth of Dominica visited Japan. The following is an outline and evaluation of that visit.

1. Outline

(1) Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Working Lunch Hosted by Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Taimei Yamaguchi

  1. Prime Minister Charles expressed his appreciation for Japan's cooperation in the past. Both sides also acknowledged further expansion and diversification of cooperative relations.
  2. Continued mutual cooperation in the fisheries sector was confirmed. Japan proposed a mechanism of working-level consultations (Japan-Dominica Fisheries Consultations) for exchanging views and opinions on comprehensive cooperation in the area of fisheries, whereupon Prime Minister Charles replied that he would readily accept this proposal.
  3. Both sides confirmed the importance of continued cooperation for the promotion of information technology (IT), tourism and other areas.

(2) Meetings with other Officials

  1. Prime Minister Charles visited the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and other semi-governmental organizations, exchanging views and opinions on measures to manage the social and economic development of Dominica.
  2. Furthermore, Prime Minister Charles visited Japanese companies and their related sites of Dominica's concern, for exchanging views and information on tourism, development of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the promotion of IT, areas in which Dominica maintains strong interest.

2. Significance and Evaluation of Prime Minister Charles' Visit to Japan

(1) Confirmation of the Expansion of Friendly and Cooperative Relations with the New Charles Administration

Former Prime Minister Roosevelt Douglas of Dominica passed away unexpectedly immediately following his visit to Japan in September 2000. Prime Minister Charles was due to participate in the Japan-CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Ministerial Meeting held in Japan in November 2000, but was unable to visit Japan on account of adverse weather conditions, and thus has maintained his intention to visit at the earliest opportunity. Confirmation during the visit between the two leaders to expand and diversify friendly and cooperative relations will serve as an important basis for the further promotion of bilateral relations in the future. Furthermore, Japan was able to impress its positive attitude of friendship and cooperation toward the Caribbean region, which it set forth at last year's Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Meeting. Further cooperation in various international forums could be expected between Japan and CARICOM (14 countries including Dominica), which is strengthening its voice in the international arena.

(2) Agreement to Hold Japan-Dominica Consultations on Cooperation in the Area of Fisheries

Continuation of existing favorable mutual cooperation in the area of fisheries was confirmed. Both sides agreed to create Japan-Dominica Consultations on Fisheries to discuss at administrative levels the preservation and management of resources from a more comprehensive and long-term perspective. Furthermore, Japan conveyed that it would dispatch a group of experts to pre-estimate the Portsmouth Fisheries Project, in which the Dominican side has maintained strong interest. This was highly evaluated by the Dominican side.

(3) Promoting Cooperation in Other Areas

Dominica is attempting to strengthen her tourism, IT and development of SMEs. It is viewed that the meetings with Japan's Government officials provided an opportunity to effectively convey to the Dominican side its cooperative gesture in these areas. Furthermore, the energetic intention and action of Prime Minister Charles to carry out the impressively heavy itinerary in Japan will certainly contribute to deepening the understanding of the present situation in Japan.

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