Press Releases
Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year Reception
March 26, 2024
On March 26, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, hosted the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year Reception at the Iikura Guest House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcoming Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and others. The overview is as follows.
- At the outset of the reception, Minister Kamikawa celebrated the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year. She stated that Japan and CARICOM countries are important partners sharing values and principles in an international situation where cooperation among such countries is becoming more important than ever.
- Minister Kamikawa expressed a commitment to holding dialogues and working together with CARICOM for the next decade ahead based on Japan’s “Diplomatic Initiative toward Latin America and the Caribbean,” while firmly upholding the three pillars of “Japan’s CARICOM Policy” – 1) cooperation towards overcoming the vulnerabilities of small island states, 2) deepening of cooperation and friendship, and 3) cooperation in addressing challenges of the international community.
- Secretary-General Barnett delivered reciprocating remarks.
- The deepening of exchanges among participants related to the Caribbean provided an opportunity to increase momentum for the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year and further strengthen Japan- CARICOM relations.