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Economic Self-Reliance
As a fellow island nation of the Pacific, Japan has been backing the efforts of Pacific Island Countries to achieve greater self-reliance, mainly by actively supporting the setting up of infrastructure, such as waterworks and sewerage, electricity, ports, and hospitals, and the development of the fisheries industry. In 1996 Japan, together with the South Pacific Forum, founded the Pacific Islands Centre to promote trade, investment, and tourism between Japan and these countries.
To preserve the rich and beautiful oceans and islands of the Pacific Island Countries, Japan offers assistance in such areas as meteorological observation, oceanographic research, and shore protection.
In the belief that human resources form the basis for nation building, for many years Japan has particularly emphasized cooperation in fostering human resources. From the standpoint of promoting person-to-person interaction with the Pacific Island Countries, moreover, it cooperates in ways that put weight on exchanges between the peoples of Japan and these countries.
For Pacific Island Countries, whose populations are scattered over a vast spread of ocean, satellites are a highly effective channel of communication. Japan offers its support toward the utilization of satellite communications technology in long-distance learning.
Japan has strong historical and cultural ties with the Pacific Island Countries. To further interpersonal relations between the Japanese and the people of the region, particularly young people, Japan is working to promote exchange on the person-to-person level with these countries. |
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