The Minister of Foreign Affairs for Japan, Yoko Kamikawa has reaffirmed Japan's commitment to Samoa and the Pacific through strengthened ties which she will reveal in detail during the Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM) in July.

One of the areas Ms. Kamikawa stressed was issues such as climate change and how Samoa and the Pacific can adapt to it with help from Japan.

She also reassured the release of the ALPS-treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean was safe and there would be ill effects.

"As Japan and Samoa are both maritime states, our two countries can also cooperate in the area of maritime security and management. Japan helped to establish the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) in Samoa, and has sent JICA experts to strengthen the Centre's functions as a focal point for developing human resources," she said.

"It has also shared information and technology with the region to tackle climate change. The friendship that has emerged from our bonds, our "Kizuna", and the trust shared between Japan and Pacific Island countries based on our values and principles should be passed on to the next generation as we adapt to changing circumstances. 

"I believe this is one of the principal roles of diplomacy. The second is the continuation and development of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) process. PALM, which will be held for the 10th time this year, began in 1997 and continues to evolve. 

"Amid major changes in the international environment surrounding the region, it has become increasingly important to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law In the face of various common challenges. Japan strongly supports the unity of the region, including Samoa, and the commitments articulated in "2050 Strategy" announced by the Pacific Island Countries Forum (PIF)."

Meanwhile, the largest number of JICA Japan-Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) have been dispatched in the fields of education and sports, many of whom are science and mathematics teachers and primary school teachers.

Rugby has also been one of the major contributors to bringing the people of the two countries closer together at the grassroots level over the years.

The Japanese Foreign Minister emphasized that the Manu Samoa is a formidable competitor for the Japanese national team and Samoa's number of wins surpasses those of Japan.

"This leads me to the two objectives of my visit to Samoa. The first is to further promote friendly relations between Japan and Samoa. Japan and Samoa share fundamental values and principles such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. 

"This relationship of trust can be further strengthened by working closely together on issues such as climate change and related natural disasters including those which are likely to occur due to climate change, and the mainstream adaptation of the concept of Women, Peace and Security (WPS)."