10Friday, October 30, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal*APAN LAUNCHES M
AID PROGRAM FOR 0ACIlC
GIFF JOHNSONWith the hosting of a3DFLÀF ,VODQGV 7RXULVPMinisters meeting in Tokyo Sunday, Japan has begun launching a promised
US$450 million aid packDJHIRUWKH3DFLÀFUHJLRQPrime Minister Shinzo
Abe announced at the
3$/0 3DFLÀF OHDGHUV
summit held in Japan in
May that his government
would provide 55 billion

2EGIONS WEALTH OF MINERALS
AND lSH EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE\HQ86
over the next three years
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seven major focus areas
ranging from climate anddisaster risk response toÀVKHULHV DQG WUDGH %ULHILQJ D WHDP RI 3DFLÀF PHdia representatives last
week in Tokyo, Japan government representatives
said the new three-year
JICA’s Masayoshi Ono
aid program is already unand Takashi Toyama.
derway.
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objectives of the PALM7
summit, tourism minisduce reliance on diesel power,ters from 13 island nations
and one initiative is the plangathered in Tokyo last
to introduce wind power genweekend to discuss opporeration to Tonga. Althoughtunities with Japan. R&DVRPH 3DFLÀF OHDGHUV KDYH
Minister Mike Konelios
called for entirely phasrepresented the RMI at
ing out use of fossil fuel for
the Tokyo tourism talks.
power generation in the next
Although details of the10 years, Ono said it won’t
discussions were not madebe possible to replace diesel
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talks focused on how Ja“Renewable energy cannot bepan can help boost tourism
reliable for 24/7, 365-days ofHiroaki
Shinohara,
Senior
Deputyopportunities in the region.
the year power provision,” he'LUHFWRUIRU3DFLÀF,VODQG$IIDLUV
Among other major desaid. “It’s not possible.”attheMinistryofForeign
Affairs
velopments now in theIn addition to the nearlypipeline:86PLOOLRQ LQ GHYHORS$ FOLPDWH FKDQJH FHQment
grant
funding,
JICA is providter that will be built in Samoa in expand, modify and strengthen theing
infrastructureloans
to three naconjunction with the Secretariat of FDSDFLW\RI3DFLÀFFRXQWULHVWRKDQtions
intheregion—Papua New
the Regional Environment Program dle waste,” said Masayoshi Ono, theGuinea,VanuatuandSamoa.
Loans(SPREP). Japan will fund the build- FRXQWU\RIÀFHUIRU3DFLÀFDQG6RXWKare
supporting
redevelopmentof theing of a new facility and provide re- east Asia Division of the Japan Interinternational
airportinPort
Moresbysources for training initiatives to be national Cooperation Agency. Waste
sponsored, said Soichiro Kojima, management is a big issue in small and the Port Vila port.
“Island nations are important partthe senior coordinator in the Coun- islands that have “no place to put it,”try Assistance Planning Division of Ono said. J-PRISM has worked in 14 ners of Japan,” said Hiroaki Shinothe Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We island nations, including RMI, since hara, the senior deputy director for3DFLÀF,VODQG$IIDLUVDWWKH0LQLVWU\hope the center will be open in the 2010.
 7KH ´+\EULG ,VODQGV ,QLWLDWLYHµ of Foreign Affairs.
next three-to-four years,” he said.
Japan has historical ties with many (VWDEOLVKPHQW RI D 3DFLÀF focused on expanding renewable
LEADS (Leaders Educational Assis- energy use and optimizing diesel island nations that it governed ortance for Development of State) pro- power generation. Japan is provid- traded with in the pre-World War II
gram that will offer graduate study at ing technical expertise and other SHULRG 7KH 3DFLÀF LV DOVR D VLWH RI
Japan universities and follow up in- support to assist island nations to get natural resources important to Japan,ternships in government agencies for the right balance between fossil fuel said Shinohara.
´7KH 3DFLÀF LV YHU\ ULFK LQ PLQ100 emerging leaders under the age and renewables to avoid disruptions
to power service. “It’s important to HUDOV DQG ÀVKµ KH VDLG ´$ERXW of 40. It will start in 2016.
7KHUHJLRQDO-DSDQHVH3URPRWLRQ have diesel power,” said Ono. “Solar percent of Japan’s tuna catch comesof Regional Initiative on Solid Waste relies on good weather but it is not from this region.” The aim of Japan’sManagement (J-PRISM), which is sunny all year around, which is why VLJQLÀFDQWDLGSURJUDPIRUWKH3DFLIEHLQJH[WHQGHGIRUDVHFRQGÀYH\HDU the islands till need diesel.” But, he ic region is to “create a peaceful andSHULRG´7KHQH[WÀYH\HDUVDLPVWR added, there is scope to further re- prosperous region,” said Shinohara.

‘The aim of Japan’s
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program for the3DFLÀFUHJLRQLVWR
create a peaceful andprosperous region’