JAPAN and the WORLD Magazine JULY ISSUE 2015 #Issue 12 | Page 14

EXTRA
BILATERAL NEWS
Leaders of the Pacific Island countries during a summit in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture.
Credits: MOFA
The 7th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting
(PALM7) was held in Iwaki-city, Fukushima
prefecture, on May 22 and 23 in 2015.
The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to
the PALM process and its current structure
as central to strengthening mutual trust
between Japan and the members of the Pacific
Islands Forum (PIF); they acknowledge its
role in enhancing and steadying substantial
development in the Forum Island Countries
(FICs). Acknowledging the challenges that the
FICs continue to face, the Leaders renewed
their strong commitment to partnership and
cooperation based on the PALM process.
The Leaders expressed their support for the new
vision of Japan’s diplomacy towards the Pacific
island countries, “A Beacon for Diplomacy
toward the PICs”, which was announced by
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 23, 2015.
Taking into account the important role played
by the FICs in the international community, the
Leaders are committed to working closely with
Japan based on shared values and rule of law
to achieve peace and prosperity in the Pacific
region.
ENHANCE COOPERATION
The Leaders decided to enhance cooperation with a central
focus on the seven areas:
01. Disaster risk reduction
02. Climate change
03. Environment
04. People-to-people exchanges
05. Sustainable development
(including human resource development)
06. Oceans, maritime issues and fisheries
07. Trade, investment and tourism
Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan had fulfilled
its pledge at PALM6 by providing more than
USD 500 million over the past three years and
pledged to provide financial support to the extent
of no less than JPY 55 billion to the FICs over the
next three years. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also
announced that Japan aims to implement human
resource development and people-to-people
exchanges involving more than 4,000 citizens
from the FICs over the next three years.
14 // JULY 2015
The Seventh Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM7)
Leaders’ Declaration
- Fukushima Iwaki Declaration -
“Building A Prosperous Future Together”
第7回太平洋・島サミット
（PALM7）
首脳宣言
- 福島いわき宣言 –
「共に創る豊かな未来」
第7回太平洋島サミット
（PALM7）
は、2015年5月
22、23日に福島県いわき市で開催されました。
INFORMATION:
OVERVIEW
各国首脳は、
日本の対太平洋島嶼国外交の新たな
ビジョンを歓迎し、
それに対する支持を表明した。
サ
ミット最終日の２０１５年５月２３日には、安倍日本
国首相はこのイベントを、同地域に対する
「外交の
道しるべ」
と表現した。国際社会でFIC諸国が果た
す重要な役割を考慮し、同地域の首脳らは、太平洋
地域の平和と繁栄を確保することを目指し、双方向
の友好関係を通じた共通の価値観と法の支配に基
づき、
日本と緊密に協力することを約束した。
協力を強化
出席した首脳らは、主に以下の7つの分野での協力を強化すること
を決定した。
01. 災害リスク軽減
02. 気候変動
03. 環境
04. 人的交流
05. 持続可能な開発（人材開発を含む）
06. 海洋、海洋問題および漁業
07. 貿易、投資、観光
安倍首相は、
日本が過去3年間で5億米ドル以上を
拠出することにより、PALM6の公約を果たしてきた
と述べた。
また、今後3年間でFIC諸国に対して550
億円以上（4億4千万米ドル以上）
を拠出し、協力を
強化するという計画を発表した。同首相はまた、
日
本は今後3年間でPIF諸国からの4,000人の人材育
成および交流を実現することを目指すと発表した。
01. Date and Venue:
May 22 and 23, 2015, Iwaki-city, Fukushima.
02. Participants:
Japan, Palau (Co-Chairs), Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru,
Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand.
PURPOSES
01. Further Strengthening the Partnership with the PICs:
Promoting the cooperation in the PICs’ priority areas such
as disaster risk reduction, environment, climate change,
people-to-people exchanges, sustainable development and
maritime issues.
02. Cooperation for Maintaining Maritime Order and Ensuring
Stable Fishing Access.
03. Showcasing the vigorous reconstruction of Iwaki,
Fukushima, from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
OUTCOMES
01. The new vision of Japan’s diplomacy toward the PICs.
02. Outcome Document.
03. Japan’s cooperation package over the next three years.
Disaster Risk Reduction
Environment and Climate Change
People-to-People Exchanges
Sustainable Development
Maritime Issues and Fisheries
04. Japan’s contribution as a peace-loving nation:
Cooperation for the recovery of the remains of the war dead.
05. Cooperation for the UN Security Council reform.
06. Participation of Prime Minister of Fiji in PALM7.