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The Pacific Island Nation Conference

Friendship across Oceans,Peace across Borders

FOREWORD

Setsuya Tabuchi
Chairman
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
March, 1989

A little over two years have passed since the Sasakawa Peace Foundation was established in September of 1986. Amassing its own experience, and utilizing extensive funding from Japan's boat racing industry and receiving assistance from other concerned organizations, in this short time the Sasakawa Peace Foundation has become Japan's foremost private foundation promoting international understanding and exchange. Private philanthropic organizations both inside and outside Japan have come to hold high expectation for the activities of the Foundation.

Near the end of its second year of operation, the Foundation sponsored the Pacific Island Nations Conference, which was held in Tokyo on the 26th and 27th of August, 1988. The purpose for convening this Conference was to explore concrete approaches through which Japan can further assist in the development efforts of the Island Nations while, at the same time, creating even stronger bonds with and between these countries dotting the South Pacific. Ultimately what was sought were ways in which the participating nations, including Japan, can benefit each other. Attending the Conference as Participating Members were top ranking officials from the governments of the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, the Republic of Vanuatu, Western Samoa, and Cook Islands. Attending as Associate Members were representatives from the countries of Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Indonesia and from four international agencies; namely, the South Pacific Commission, the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Islands Development Programme, and the Committee for Coordination of Joint Prospecting for Mineral Resources in South Pacific Offshore Areas. Chairing the Conference was Tadashi Kuranari, former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Conference is believed to have made meaningful contribution to the dialogue between the participating nations and to have borne many fruits. The proceedings were recorded and compiled into this publication to make them available for the perusal of all concerned. In the Final Session of the Conference, Ryoichi Sasakawa, Honorary Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, announced his plan to establish a Pacific Island Nations Foundation. Later, when the plan was materialized, it was decided, instead, to establish a Sasakawa Island Nations Trust Fund (with a total endowment of three billion yen) within the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The Foundation is scheduled to begin administering the Fund from April of 1989. In the years to come, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation will continue to develop its own unique programs, distinct from those of the government and corporate sectors. All the staff of the Foundation are dedicated to this end, and they ask for your guidance and encouragement in helping them accomplish it.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
OPENING SESSION
Opening Address
Ryoichi Sasakawa
Prime Minister's Message
Presenter by Keizou Obuchi
Chairman's Introductory Remarks
Tadashi Kuranari
CLOSING SESSION
Chairman's Summary
Tadashi Kuranari
Announcement of Establishment of
Pacific Island Nations Foundation
Ryoichi Sasakawa

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