Japan donates to
East-West Center
The Japanese government gave $231,120 to the East-West Center's Pacific Islands Development Program for research, training and other programs to improve the lives of Pacific islanders.
Japan has contributed $3.9 million to the center since 1978.
Makoto Hinei, senior consul at the Japanese Consulate in Hawaii, presented the check yesterday to Roland Lagareta, chairman of the East-West Center's board of governors.
The Pacific Islands Development Program is the research and training arm and the secretariat of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders, which represents 22 Pacific island nations.
Hinei noted that last November, the program hosted a meeting in Hawaii between President George Bush and Pacific island leaders.
Through the program, Japan has funded scholarships, computers, research on tuna management and training for policy makers. Japan continues to support the East-West Center's Talanoa Peace and Reconciliation project in Fiji, a dialogue that started after the 2000 coup in the island nation. The talanoa brings political leaders together to discuss sensitive issues.
Hinei emphasized the importance of the Pacific islands to Japan. Last May, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met with Pacific island leaders at a summit on Okinawa that prioritized policy targets in the Pacific, such as enhanced security and a more sustainable environment.
