Latin America and the Caribbean

July 27

July 28

　On Sunday July 27, the Prime Minister Abe held a bilateral meeting with the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and exchanged opinions on the bilateral relations, Japan-CARICOM relations and cooperation in an international arena. Subsequently, five representatives from a Japanese economic mission paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar with the presence of Prime Minister Abe.

　On Sunday July 27, Prime Minister Abe held a bilateral meeting with the Hon. Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and the two leaders shared views that they would make the first-ever Japan-CARICOM Summit Meeting in the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year 2014 an opportunity to further deepen and expand both bilateral and Japan-CARICOM relations. Moreover, the two leaders exchanged opinions on the bilateral relations and cooperation in an international arena.

　On Sunday July 27, Prime Minister Abe held a bilateral meeting with the Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica and exchanged opinions on bilateral relations, economy/economic cooperation, tourism/people-to-people exchanges, Japan-CARICOM relations and cooperation in an international arena.

　On Sunday July 27, a welcome dinner hosted by Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar was held and Prime Minister and Mrs. Abe attended the dinner together with the economic mission from Japan. The dinner was held in a friendly atmosphere as the entrance of the venue was decorated like a carnival of Trinidad and Tobago and music was played following the addresses by the two leaders.

　On Monday July 28, Prime Minister Abe held the first-ever Japan-CARICOM Summit Meeting with the attendance of leaders from 14 CARICOM member states. From the CARICOM side, leaders from 10 countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago) attended the meeting while the Cabinet ministers by proxy for their leaders from four countries (the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and Suriname). The Secretary-General of CARICOM also attended the meeting.
　At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Abe once again stressed solidarity between Japan and CARICOM member states and disclosed Japan’s policies for CARICOM which consisted of three pillars. Subsequently, Prime Minister Abe actively exchanged opinions with the leaders of CARICOM countries. From the CARICOM side, they welcomed Japan’s policies for the CARICOM and particularly highly appreciated Japan’s understanding of the vulnerabilities particular to small island states. They also expressed expectation toward cooperation from Japan for the issues that each country has faced, such as debt, damage from hurricane disasters, and renewable energy.

　On Monday July 28, Prime Minister Abe held individual meetings with nine leaders from CARICOM member states.
　At the meetings, Prime Minister Abe and leaders from CARICOM member states discussed on the assistance for overcoming the “vulnerabilities particular to small island states,” the project on climate change that had been signed on that day, and cooperation in the international arena, and shared views on enhancing the relations between Japan and each country on the occasion of the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year 2014. Each country highly appreciated the first-ever summit meeting and also expressed their strong intention to enhance dialogues in various levels and to deepen exchanges.