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Japan pledges 453 mln USD aid to Pacific Island nations

Xinhua, May 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed on Saturday at a summit in Fukushima that the country will provide at least 55 billion yen (about 453 million U.S. dollars) aid package to Pacific island nations in the next three years.

In the leaders' declaration adopted after the seventh Japan and Pacific islands leaders meeting (PALM7), Abe said: "Japan has fulfilled its pledge at PALM6 by providing more than 40.4 billion yen (500 million U.S. dollars according to then exchange rate) and will provide the cooperation to the extent of no less than 55 billion yen to the participating countries over the next three years."

The two-day meeting, which brings together Japan and the 16- member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), is believed to be taken by Japan as an opportunity to boost its presence in the area.

The summit meeting was first held in 1997 and has since been conducted every three years in Japan. The PIF members include Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Endi