Press Releases
Grant Assistance to the Kingdom of Tonga: Signing and Exchange of Notes on “the Project for the Improvement of Fua’amotu International Airport”
On August 19, 2025, in Nuku’alofa, the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga, H.E. Mr. INAGAKI Hisao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga, and the Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Valu EKE, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, signed and exchanged notes for “the Project for the Improvement of Fua’amotu International Airport" (project up to 2.549 billion yen).
- The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago consisting of approximately 170 islands scattered across a distance of 800 km from north to south. Air transportation plays a vital role in providing various social services for people’s domestic and international traveling, logistics, tourism and trade. Situated on Tongatapu Island where the capital is located, in the Fua'amotu International Airport, as it serves as Tonga’s main gateway, the improvement work is needed due to the growing demand for air travel.
- This cooperation aims at gaining higher convenience of the Fua'amotu International Airport then contributing to strengthening connectivity of Tonga and the region, as well as enhancing the industrial foundation for the country by expanding and renovating the international passenger terminal building and its annexed facilities constructed with Japan’s grant assistance in 1989.
- In the “Leaders Declaration” and the "Joint Action Plan" issued at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 10) held on July 18, 2024, Japan has announced "Technology and Connectivity" as one of the priority areas of Japan’s cooperation, and this cooperation embodies the Plan.
(Reference1) Basic Data on Kingdom of the Tonga
The Kingdom of Tonga has an area of 720 square kilometers, a population of 104,175 (2024, World Bank), and a gross national income per capita of US$5,520 (2024, World Bank).
(Reference2) 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 10)
On July 16-18, 2024, the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 10) was co-chaired by Prime Minister KISHIDA and Prime Minister BROWN of the Cook Islands, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). The Meeting was attended by the leaders and representatives of 19 countries, regions and regional organization including Japan, 14 Pacific Island countries, two French overseas collectivities, Australia, and New Zealand, and the chair of Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). From the Kingdom of Tonga, Prime Minister HU‘AKAVAMEILIKU attended.
The Government of Japan announced Japan’s commitment to continue its robust development assistance and support for more than 6,500 people-to-people exchanges as well as human resource development over the next three years based on the seven priority areas of cooperation which are in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent or “2050 Strategy" of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): (1) Political Leadership and Regionalism, (2) People-centered Development, (3) Peace and Security, (4) Resources and Economic Development, (5) Climate Change and Disasters, (6) Ocean and Environment, (7) Technology and Connectivity.