Climate change poses a significant threat, particularly for the Pacific nations, which are facing an increase in natural disasters that endanger both lives and livelihoods. During the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) held in Tokyo from July 16 to 18, leaders discussed the urgent need for a collective approach to enhance climate resilience throughout the region.
Japan, along with Pacific Island nations, acknowledges the pressing need to address climate change as well as other critical challenges affecting the Pacific. The discussions in Tokyo, which covered topics such as disaster risk reduction, economic development, maritime security, and cyber security, highlighted a strong commitment to cooperation.
Professor Izumi Kobayashi of Osaka Gakuin University remarked that PALM10 represents the culmination of Japan’s enduring partnership with countries in the Pacific. He emphasized that this support is essential for fostering peace and development in the region.
During the summit, leaders vowed to establish a partnership built on trust—known as “kizuna” in Japanese—which aligns with the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent that aims to ensure security and well-being. This strategy identifies climate change as the foremost threat to the region, a stance echoed by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
A key initiative launched at the summit was the Pacific Climate Resilience Initiative, which aims to leverage Japanese financial and technological support to enhance disaster preparedness and promote decarbonization among Pacific Island nations. This initiative builds on existing cooperation, including support for the Pacific Climate Change Centre established in Samoa in 2019.
Japan is also assisting five countries—Fiji, Tuvalu, Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau—by strengthening their capabilities in energy transitions, focusing on power supply and grid planning.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of exchanges between people, technology, and information. Japan pledged to facilitate programs that would benefit over 6,500 individuals in various sectors, including science and technology, over the next three years. Prime Minister Kishida and Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku noted Japan’s attendance at the International Naval Review in Tonga and the inclusion of Tongan military cadets in Japan’s National Defense Academy.
Bilateral agreements were also advanced, such as a Memorandum of Cooperation between Japan and Fiji to implement Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System for emergency warnings and disaster management, which aims to enhance Fiji’s climate resilience.
Additional agreements made at PALM10 included Japan providing patrol boats to Nauru, research vessels and equipment for Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Fiji. Japan is also supporting reconstruction efforts in the Marshall Islands and Palau, along with promoting trade and investment between Japan and Fiji, and contributing to projects related to subsea cables in Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Professor Kobayashi noted that the commitments from Japan and its partners at PALM10 have strengthened the existing mutual trust established over the nine previous PALM meetings. He stressed that ongoing communication and collaboration will be vital for maximizing the impact of these initiatives.
The Leaders’ Declaration reaffirmed core values such as global peace, democracy, human rights, and environmental integrity. Participants acknowledged the importance of a rules-based international order that safeguards the rights and responsibilities of all nations, regardless of their size.
These shared values have been a central theme at the triennial PALM gatherings since their inception in 1997. The PALM process represents Japan’s commitment, as articulated by Prime Minister Kishida, to work collaboratively with the peoples of the Blue Pacific.