Sixth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 6; Summit Meetings between Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and the Leaders of Niue, the Cook Islands and the Republic of Kiribati)

On May 23, commencing at 6:25 P.M., Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held summit meetings with the Hon. Toke Tufukia Talagi, Premier of Niue; the Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands; and H.E. Mr. Anote Tong, President of the Republic of Kiribati, respectively. The leaders were in Japan for the Sixth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 6). An overview of the meetings is as follows. In each of the meetings, Prime Minister Noda expressed his gratitude for the support and sympathy Japan received at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

1. Hon. Toke Tufukia Talagi, Premier of Niue (6:25-6:35 P.M.)

(1) Prime Minister Noda once again expressed his appreciation to Premier Talagi for co-chairing the previous Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting. Premier Talagi replied that he was happy to return to Japan to attend PALM 6, and was grateful for Japan's warm and hospitable reception.

(2) Prime Minister Noda said he was happy that plans for a solar power generation system in Niue were proceeding forward, as a project that resulted from the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund (see note). In response, Premier Talagi expressed deep gratitude for the support extended by Japan, including projects based on the PEC Fund.

(3) Both leaders shared the view that they would make PALM 6 in Okinawa successful, and the meeting ended.

[Note]
The Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund is a fund Japan declared it would set up at PALM 5. Japan contributed 6.8 billion yen to the fund. As a result of this fund, solar power generation and seawater desalination projects are underway in all the Pacific Island countries.

2. Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands (6:40-6:50 P.M.)

(1) Prime Minister Noda said that following the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Cook Islands last year, he hoped to form closer ties with the Cook Islands and wanted to work with Prime Minister Puna, who was to serve as co-chair for PALM 6, to ensure the meeting was successful. Prime Minister Puna replied that it was a privilege to co-chair PALM 6 and that he hoped to further strengthen ties with Japan via such cooperation.

(2) Prime Minister Noda stated that Japan would take part in meetings related to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), which the Cook Islands was to host in August, as an Post-Forum Dialogue partner, and would cooperate to ensure the forum was a success. Prime Minister Puna expressed his appreciation in response.

(3) Prime Minister Noda said Japan wanted to contribute to the economic and social development of the Cook Islands. Prime Minister Puna replied that Japan's support based on the PEC Fund was in line with the policies of the Cook Islands, which is moving ahead with the adoption of renewable energies. He expressed deep gratitude.

(4) Both leaders shared the view that as co-chairs of PALM 6 in Okinawa they would make the event successful, and the meeting ended.

3. H.E. Mr. Anote Tong, President of the Republic of Kiribati (6:55-7:05 P.M.)

(1) At the start of the meeting Prime Minister Noda thanked President Tong for participating in PALM 6, and said he hoped a project that Japan was currently undertaking to extend and upgrade Betio Port, Kiribati's only international port, would contribute to the further economic and social development of Kiribati. He also stated that Japan wanted to strengthen its ties with Kiribati via this and similar initiatives. In response, President Tong expressed deep gratitude and remarked that Japan's support was vital to the development of Kiribati.

(2) Prime Minister Noda touched on the fact that Kiribati's territory was made up of an island chain that covered a vast area of ocean, and said that Japan wanted to cooperate closely toward resolving challenges facing regional and international communities, including the climate change issue. President Tong replied that he was pleased Prime Minister Noda mentioned climate change, and said that the climate change issue was Kiribati's most pressing security concern. President Tong said that he hoped to secure Japan's assistance in having the climate change issue addressed by the United Nations Security Council, and that Kiribati always supported Japan in the international arena.

(3) Both leaders shared the view that they would make PALM 6 in Okinawa successful, and the meeting ended.