PRIME Minister James Marape is the first foreign head of state to meet and congratulate Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on his re-election this week.
In a highly positive bilateral meeting held at the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders held constructive discussions on mutual areas of cooperation, with a strong focus on trade, investment, and development assistance.
Central to the discussions was Japan’s reaffirmed commitment to Papua New Guinea’s development agenda.
These include:
- Upgrading Tokua Airport to a standard comparable with the recently completed Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport;
- Ongoing Japanese support in agriculture and fisheries sectors;
- Continued partnership in strengthening PNG’s economic base through strategic investments.
Prior to the high-level meeting, PM Marape also engaged with leading Japanese private sector stakeholders in agriculture, manufacturing, forestry, banking, and mining.
These discussions aim to deepen private sector engagement and attract new investments into PNG.
The bilateral and business meetings marked the conclusion of PM Marape’s successful participation at the World Expo in Osaka, where he visited and supported the ongoing operations of the PNG Pavilion.