Prime Minister Marape says Japan is “a steadfast friend”

Prime Minister James Marape wants to see the 49-year-old bilateral relations with Japan expand to defence, trade, foreign affairs, and additional investment in liquefied natural gas development in PNG.  

He described Japan as “a steadfast friend” of Papua New Guinea, when acknowledging Japan’s development assistance which amounts to more than K6 billion, as of last year.   

Prime Minister Marape made these remarks while meeting his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a bilateral meeting on Tuesday on the margins of the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting [PALM10] in Japan.

Japan is one of PNG’s three biggest trading partners, where PNG enjoys a trade surplus.

In 2023 and 2022, PNG exported over K7 billion and K8 billion to Japan in raw materials in copper, gold, logs, tuna, coffee, seafood, woodchip, shell, crocodile skin, vanilla, sawn timber and, recently, gas; while PNG imports from Japan are manufactured products from motor vehicles, car parts and accessories, and machinery.

“This signifies a positive trade balance that indicates economic progress and this also comes at the back of PNG exporting its first LNG shipment to Japan in 2014,” Mr Marape said.

“We invite Japanese companies to look into opportunities in this area whether in actual construction, in business, or buying the gas [LNG].

“I also invite Japanese companies to enter the downstream processing and manufacturing focus of our [PNG] government where we are moving away from exporting raw resources and toward finished products,” he said.

Prime Minister Marape further acknowledged Japan’s total cumulative Overseas Development Assistance [ODA] to PNG since 1975 when the two countries established bilateral agreement at PNG’s Independence, which has amounted to more than JPY200 billion [over K6 billion] in 2023.

He thanked the Government of Japan for supporting the development of transport and communications infrastructure, especially highlighting recent projects such as the upgraded Nadzab Tomodachi Airport, and the planned Tokua Airport upgrade, while inviting Japan to also consider Wewak airport because of Japanese presence in the Wewak area from 1940-1945.

“I am very happy to lead my delegation here on the margins of PALM10. PNG looks to play its role to make sure our country and the Pacific remain a very close friend of Japan as we collaborate as nations of the same ocean,” Prime Minister Marape said.