Japan-Maldives Relations

July 30, 2023
Japanese
Two ministers shaking hands
(Photo) Japan-Maldives Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
Joint Press Conference by the Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Maldives

On July 30, commencing at 10:10 a.m. (local time; 14:10 a.m. JST), Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (for approximately 70 minutes) with H.E. Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives. The overview is as follows.

  1. At the outset, Foreign Minister Shahid mentioned that the friendship between Japan and the Maldives has been forged on the basis of robust foundations and referred to the progress of the ties thus far between the two nations. Minister Hayashi then touched on a long history of the cooperation while expressing the will to comprehensively strengthen the bilateral relationships.
  2. The two Ministers concurred to develop the bilateral cooperation in wide-ranging fields, including climate change, disaster prevention, and the rule of law in the sea, guided by the new FOIP plan.
  3. In response, Minister Shahid expressed his appreciation for Japan’s economic cooperation to the Maldives over the years. Minister Hayashi then stated that Japan would continue its proactive support for the Maldives and is ready to enhance efforts to study a project that will symbolize the bilateral friendship.
  4. In relation to this, Minister Shahid welcomed the resumption of JOCV (Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers). The two Ministers confirmed the importance of vitalizing people-to-people exchanges at the grassroots level.
  5. Minister Hayashi stated that he would like to promote security cooperation with the Maldives, which is located at a strategic location in the Indian Ocean. In response, Minister Shahid stated that he would continue to cooperate with Japan in order to maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.
  6. Minister Hayashi explained the outcomes of the G7 Hiroshima Summit. In addition, the two Ministers exchanged candid views on regional issues such as those concerning East Asia as well as Russia and Ukraine and then on cooperation in the international arena including nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, cooperation at the United Nations, and climate change. In this context, they reaffirmed the importance of the efforts of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), which has enabled grain exports from Ukraine through the Black Sea, and then shared the view that Russia's termination of the Initiative completely runs counter to the international community’s efforts in addressing food insecurity and is deeply regrettable.

[Reference]
Joint Press Release (English (PDF) Open a New Window/ provisional Japanese translation (PDF)Open a New Window)

Related Links

Back to Japan-Maldives Relations