President Mori receives Senior Vice Minister Suzuki of Japan

FSMIS (September 10, 2013): Coming home after attending the Pacific Islands Forum in Majuro, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) President Manny Mori met with a Japanese envoy headed by Senior Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shunichi Suzuki, around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 7.

President Mori welcomed Minister Suzuki to the FSM and commended him on his successful representation of the Government of Japan at the Post Forum Dialogue of the 44^th session of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Mr. Suzuki thanked President Mori for making the time to have the meeting in spite of difficult arrangements and travel inconveniences.

Among a number of agenda items, Minister Suzuki brought up matters regarding the preparations for the November Pacific Leaders Meeting (PALM) that the Government of Japan orchestrates for its Pacific partners. Specifically, Mr. Suzuki requested that FSM participate in the PALM ministerial meeting in October and solicited for FSM’s support in having the United States attend the PALM meeting.

Furthermore, Minister Suzuki spoke about Japan’s commitment to the strengthening of people to people relations with the FSM and within the region as evident in the “Kizuna” project, which resulted in the youth exchange program the past few years. Such exchange is meant to wield strong ties between future generations of Japanese and Micronesians.

Mr. Suzuki also expressed gratitude for efforts towards repatriation of war-dead remains on Tol Island in Chuuk State the past few years. He requested for the FSM Government's assistance in on-going similar efforts in Woleai, Yap State.

President Mori opened his dialogue with Minister Suzuki by commenting positively on the Japanese official’s statement to the Forum Leaders in Majuro the day before.

President Mori and Minister Suzuki

In response to Mr. Suzuki’s requests, President Mori confirmed that FSM will participate in the PALM ministerial meeting, agreed to the interest in involving the United States in the PALM process, and stated that his administration will look into ways to assist the war-dead repatriation activities in Woleai.

Both parties underscored the warm sentiments that characterize the FSM-Japan long-standing relation and recognized the mutual benefits in deepening understanding and securing the “kizuna” for the future generations.

Minister Suzuki was accompanied by Ambassador Eiichi Suzuki from the Japan Embassy in Kolonia and other delegation members.

Joining President Mori were the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lorin S. Robert, the Chief of Staff, Mr. Leo Falcam Jr. and other department staff.

Mr. Suzuki’s activities in Pohnpei included the signing of two “grass -root grant” projects in Yap State and Chuuk State at the Foreign Affairs Office on September 7 and a  handover ceremony for a classroom building at the Pohnpei Catholic School on September 8. These are assistance projects funded through “grass root grant” arrangements by the Japanese Government. 

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