Press Releases
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida Meets with Foreign Ministers and Other Officials from Five CARICOM member states
On Saturday, November 15, commencing at 1:30 p.m. for approximately two and a half hours, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held separate meetings with the following foreign ministers and other officials from five of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states who are visiting Japan to attend the Fourth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference.
(1) Hon. Paul Greene, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industry, Sports, Culture & National Festivals of Antigua and Barbuda
（Hon. Paul GREENE, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industry, Sports, Culture & National Festivals of Antigua and Barbuda）
(2) H.E. Mr. Pierre-Duly Brutus, Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Worships of the Republic of Haiti
（H.E. Mr. Pierre-Duly BRUTUS, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worships of the Republic of Haiti）
(3) Sen. the Hon. Arnold Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica
（Sen. the Hon. Arnold NICHOLSON, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica）
(4) The Hon. Patrice Nisbett, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Legal Affairs, Homeland Security and Labour of Saint Christopher and Nevis
（The Hon. Patrice NISBETT, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Legal Affairs, Homeland Security and Labour of Saint Christopher and Nevis）
(5) The Hon. Alva Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation of Saint Lucia
（The Hon. Alva BAPTISTE, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation of Saint Lucia）
At the beginning of each meeting, Minister Kishida welcomed the officials to Japan during the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year. In response, the member states expressed their appreciation for Japan’s hosting of the Fourth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference. They praised the results achieved at the Japan-CARICOM Summit Meeting in July, and considered holding this Ministerial-Level Conference as a follow-up to be meaningful. Additionally, Minister Kishida shared the view with the member states that Japan-CARICOM relations and bilateral relations will grow stronger as a result of this Ministerial-Level Conference.
The other points made in the meetings are as follows.
(1) Minister Kishida explained that a survey on an equipment maintenance project in the field of fisheries is at the final stage and that he hopes to implement the project promptly, expressed his satisfaction for the recent signing of the project to donate an ambulance. Minister Kishida said that a survey is currently being carried out in the field of renewable energy and energy conservation. Minister Kishida also stated that the submission made by Antigua and Barbuda at the previous Ministerial-Level Conference regarding the possibility of implementing assistance not based on income level is being taken seriously, and taking into account that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s announcement regarding Japan’s new policy, Minister Kishida said Japan will continue to provide assistance for overcoming “the vulnerabilities of small island states.”
(2) Minister Greene expressed gratitude for Japan’s support, particularly in the fisheries field, along with stating that from the standpoint of economic diversification and the vulnerabilities particular to small island states, he hopes for Japan’s cooperation in fields such as recovering from damage arising from natural disasters, recycling and education.
(3) Both sides shared the view that they will also cooperate on various challenges facing the international community, including UN Security Council reform.
(1) Minister Kishida expressed his sympathy for the flood damage that occurred in northern Haiti in early November. He also announced Japan’s decision to implement new food assistance in order to contribute to Haiti’s food security. Additionally, Minister Kishida said that from the standpoint of promoting democracy it will be important to carry out upper and lower house and regional elections promptly, and that Japan will continue to encourage national reconstruction of Haiti following the earthquake in 2010.
(2) Minister Brutus expressed gratitude for Japan’s reconstruction assistance in various fields and the decision on new support, along with saying that he hopes to attract foreign investment and link it to development. He said that political and social stability are necessary in order to achieve attract FDI and expressed the determination to overcome the various difficulties in order to hold parliamentary and other elections promptly.
(3) Both sides shared the view that they will also cooperate on the various challenges facing the international community, including UN Security Council reform.
(1) Minister Kishida said he is satisfied that the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is serving as an opportunity to strengthen various exchanges, along with saying that Japan is implementing assistance for Jamaica in the fields of disaster risk reduction, environment and correcting income gaps. He said Japan hopes to promptly conclude an exchange of notes on grant aid involving the provision of industrial products etc. produced in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and has decided to carry out a new survey on a disaster risk reduction equipment project.
(2) Minister Nicholson said he is pleased with the exchanges in various fields, which have increased in recent years, including at the high-level. He said importing energy resources creates an economic burden for Jamaica, and expressed expectation toward cooperation in the renewable energy field, stating that his country is interested in Japanese technology and knowledge in this field. Furthermore, in view of the vulnerabilities particular to small island states, Minister Nicholson expressed strong expectations that Japan provide ongoing support with technology cooperation etc. in the disaster risk reduction field, and will share experience and knowledge relating to its recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
(3) Both sides shared the view that they will also cooperate on various challenges facing the international community, including UN Security Council reform.
(1) Minister Kishida said he is pleased to be able to meet again, following on from the Third Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference. He said that although Saint Christopher and Nevis was recently removed from the DAC (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee) list of ODA recipients, the future approach on Japan’s cooperation will be based on the surveys being carried out in the areas of renewable energy and energy conservation, given that at the Japan-CARICOM Summit Meeting in July Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan recognizes the importance of assisting member states from perspectives other than per-capita income. Additionally, Minister Kishida said that a survey on an equipment maintenance project in the field of fisheries is at its final stage and he hopes to implement the project promptly.
(2) Minister Nisbett expressed his gratitude for Japan’s assistance particularly in the fisheries industry and human resources development, along with expressing strong expectation that the vulnerabilities particular to small island states will be taken into account in the standards for “graduating” from the DAC list of ODA recipients and the Post-2015 Development Agenda. He also expressed expectation over assistance and investment in the field of renewable energy, which is a key to sustainable development.
(3) Both sides shared the view that they will also cooperate on various challenges facing the international community, including UN Security Council reform.
(1) Minister Kishida said he is pleased to be able to meet again, following on from the Third Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference, and explained that in addition to an exchange of notes that was concluded in September on an equipment maintenance project in the field of fisheries (560 million yen), Japan is also scheduled to dispatch a disaster risk reduction management expert in the near future and is currently carrying out surveys in the renewable energy and energy conservation fields. He said Japan wants to continue to implement assistance for overcoming the vulnerabilities of small island states.
(2) Minister Baptiste expressed his gratitude for the assistance extended by Japan in the fisheries industry and other fields, along with stating that he highly appreciates Japan’s policy of taking into account the vulnerabilities particular to small island states, not just per-capita income, when considering sustainable development.
(3) Both sides shared the view that they will also cooperate on various challenges facing the international community, including UN Security Council reform.