Japan, Samoa Reaffirm Cooperation on N. Korea

May 16, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Samoan counterpart, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has reaffirmed bilateral cooperation on measures against North Korea's alleged ship-to-ship transfers of banned goods.

In the meeting at the prime minister's office on Tuesday, the two leaders also agreed to work together in imposing sanctions on the reclusive country under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Abe called for Samoa's support to resolve the issue of Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago.

Abe disclosed that Japan will grant Samoa some 200 million yen so that the nation can acquire medical equipment from Japan.

Samoa will represent the island nations at the eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM 8, to be held on Friday and Saturday in the city of Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

The summit-level meeting has been held every three years since 1997 between Japan and Pacific island countries to enhance partnership.

Through Saturday, Abe is expected to have individual talks with each leader from 12 of the 18 participating Pacific island economies.