(1) The Post-Forum Dialogue was chaired by former Chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and President of the Republic of Kiribati His Excellency Mr. Teburoro Tito, who visited Japan in February this year as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and attended by the Honorable Phil Goff, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand, which helped to produce a livelier exchange of views than on previous occasions in an amicable atmosphere. The Parliamentary Secretary's visit to Nauru was the first by a key political figure from Japan. The meetings made it possible to provide a clear signal of Japan's intention to further promote the "Pacific Common Frontiers Initiative" advocated by Japan at the Second Japan South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting (PALM 2000) held in Miyazaki in April last year (see Attachment 2 for Parliamentary Secretary Kojima's opening remarks at the Post-Forum Dialogue).

(2) At the Post-Forum Dialogue, the Parliamentary Secretary explained progress in the implementation of the "Miyazaki Initiative" and reported plans to hold a symposium on Human Resources Development Policies for Sustainable Development in the Pacific Islands Region, to be jointly hosted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) on 24 September of this year in Fiji. The Parliamentary Secretary also announced that Japan would in the future provide extensive cooperation using the Palau International Coral Reef Center completed by Japan's grant aid and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP) Training Centre being built in Samoa.

(3) The PIF countries responded by expressing gratitude for the support provided by Japan thus far and expressed the hope that Japan would hold the next Japan-PIF summit meeting (PALM) in the near future and continue to play an active role in PIF in the future. (Note: the Forum Communique included a statement that it was hoped to hold the next Pacific Islands Summit in 2003.)

(4) The participants agreed on the importance of issues such as climate change, the collection of small arms and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and confirmed that they would continue to cooperate on these issues. Meaningful dialogue was held on concerns shared by Japan and the Pacific island nations, such as the activities of the Pacific Island Center (PIC), fisheries issues, regional situations including that of Fiji and the Solomon Islands, and the shipment of radioactive materials, with the participants affirming that dialogue would continue to take place in the future.

(1) During a two-day stay in Nauru, bilateral talks were held with three presidents (President of the Republic of Palau Tommy Remengesau, President of the Republic of Kiribati Teburoro Tito, and President of Nauru Rene Harris), the Prime Minister of Tonga Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka-Ata, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.

(2) Significant dialogue was held on issues such as whaling (opposition to the idea of a South Pacific whale sanctuary), the Multilateral High Level Conference on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Treaty (MHLC Treaty), ratification of the CTBT, climate change (ratification of the Kyoto Protocol) and the shipment of radioactive materials.

(3) President Rene Harris of Nauru welcomed an invitation to visit Japan as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his capacity as Chairman of PIF (schedule to be arranged).

(1) During his visit to Tonga the Parliamentary Secretary received an audience with His Majesty King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and engaged in dialogue with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Hon. Veikune and the Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries Hon. Dr. G. Masasso Paunga, who has experience studying in Japan.

(2) The Royal Family of Tonga and the Imperial Family of Japan have a cordial relationship, and His Majesty King Tupou has great affinity for Japan, as witnessed by his efforts to popularise the Japanese abacus ("soroban") in Tonga. Sumo is also a popular sport there. The Parliamentary Secretary was given a hearty welcome, including a dinner reception hosted by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

(3) The Parliamentary Secretary inspected a sumo practice site where a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) instructed and attended the opening ceremony of the national soroban championships (which are held once a year. Thirty-three primary and junior high school children from Japan were visiting Tonga at the time as part of an exchange based around the soroban practice).

(1) During his visit to Fuji, the Parliamentary Secretary held discussions with the staff of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) responsible for election monitoring, the Chairman of the Election Administration Committee of the Fijian Government, and United Nations Fijian Electoral Mission (UNFIOM), Gyen (a Vietnamese) on 24 August, the day before the polls opened in the capital of Suva, in which he was informed of the preparations for the election and requested that every effort be made to ensure the safety of the Japanese observers (see Attachment 3 for list of names and site plan).

(2) On 25 August, the first day of the polling, the Parliamentary Secretary observed the general election (in Lautoka and Nandi) and gave encouragement to two Japanese election monitors Keiko Tamura (Lautoka) and Masako Takada (Nandi).

(Note) Since the takeover of the Fijian parliament in May last year, Japan has consistently made clear its position of support for an early return to democracy by Fiji. In cooperation with the United Nations, Japan has provided around 370,000 dollars of electoral assistance for the general elections held between 25 August and 1 September in Fiji, including the despatch of a team of ten Japanese election monitors.