Press Releases
Japan-Jamaica Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
December 12, 2024
On December 12, commencing at 6:45 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, who is visiting Japan to attend the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference. The overview of the talk is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Iwaya welcomed the visit to Japan by Minister Johnson Smith on the occasion of the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference scheduled on December 14. Minister Iwaya stated that he is pleased that this year the diplomatic relations between Japan and Jamaica marks “kanreki,” the 60th anniversary, and bilateral relations are deepened in various areas, including maritime affairs, defense, and culture.
- Minister Iwaya noted that Japan has built on cooperation in the past 10 years towards overcoming the vulnerabilities particular to small island states and sustainable development, in line with the three pillars of Japan’s CARICOM policy. In addition, he stated that this year Japan had decided to provide a marine research vessel to Jamaica and dispatch Japanese experts in fishery development.
- Furthermore, Minister Iwaya conveyed that Japan had implemented training to spread the Koban (neighborhood police box) system this March, and that the provision of police vehicles is scheduled. He also expressed his intention to build on such cooperation, and contribute to Jamaica and other countries in the region in being able to overcome vulnerabilities and achieve sustainable development. In response, Minister Johnson Smith expressed her appreciation for Japan’s cooperation to Jamaica and the region in various area such as security and disaster prevention. She expressed once again her condolences to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. In addition, she stated that she is pleased that the people-to-people interaction through JET programme and others is advancing.
- The two ministers confirmed the further strengthening of Japan-CARICOM relations and Japan-Jamaica bilateral relations. The two ministers concurred that amid the deepening divisions and conflicts in the international community, both countries, sharing values and principles such as freedom, democracy, and rule of law, will cooperate closely.
(Reference) Basic data of Jamaica
Jamaica covers an area of approximately 10,990 square kilometers (about the same size as Gifu Prefecture), and has a population of 2.83 million people (World Bank, 2022) and a gross national income (GNI) per capita of 5,670 U.S. dollars (World Bank, 2022).