Press Releases
Japan-Tonga Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
April 16, 2025
On April 16, commencing at 5:30 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Tonga, who is visiting Japan to attend Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Iwaya congratulated HRH Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala on his appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and stated that the longstanding friendship between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Tongan Royal Family is the cornerstone of friendly relations between Japan and Tonga. Minister Iwaya also welcomed the attendance of HRH to the National Day of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan on the April 18th, and expressed his hope that the Expo would help further enhance the development of the bilateral relations between the two countries. Both Ministers concurred on further strengthening cooperation between Japan and Tonga
- Mentioning Japan’s contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Minister Iwaya stated that Japan is determined to work together to address common challenges such as climate change which Pacific Island countries regard as “the single greatest existential threat”, and the marine environment. He also stated that Japan will support efforts to strengthen regional connectivity and resilience, including the follow-up on the outcomes of the 10th Pacific Leaders Meeting (PALM 10) held in July last year, and will continue to stride forward together with the Pacific Island countries. In response, Minister Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala expressed his appreciation to the Government and people of Japan for their cooperation.
- Both sides also exchanged views on regional situations.