Parliamentary Vice-Minister Ochi Attends Japan-Pacific Islands Business Partnership Seminar

1. Japan-Pacific Islands Business Partnership Seminar

To strengthen economic partnerships with Pacific Island countries while leveraging the strengths of Japanese companies, METI has been conducting a study to formulate country-specific master plans that help Japanese companies expand their business in the island nations (under the fiscal 2023 supplementary budget for commissioned future-oriented co-creation project with the Global South).

METI held the Japan-Pacific Islands Business Partnership Seminar in cooperation with the international organization Pacific Islands Centre to present an interim report on the study and share its findings. Attending the seminar were government officials, investment promotion organizations, and local partners of Japanese companies, among others, from Pacific Island countries, including the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Fiji, and the Republic of Palau. Business matching with Japanese companies also took place.

2. Opening remarks by Parliamentary Vice-Minister Ochi

In his opening remarks, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Ochi talked about the historical ties between Japan and Pacific Island nations, as well as the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) held in Japan last year. He also affirmed the importance of developing a secure investment environment to encourage Japanese companies to expand their business operations in Pacific Island countries, while expressing his anticipation for collaboration among stakeholders to further promote economic ties with these nations in line with the principles of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).

Division in Charge

Asia Pacific Division, Trade Policy Bureau