Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi discussed global security issues and China's presence in the Pacific with the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands on Sunday, marking the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the island.
A statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry quoted the minister as saying that Japan is "monitoring developments" regarding the security agreement signed by the Solomon Islands with China last year, and he discussed the current state of global security with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
The visit came a year after the signing of the security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands, which raised concerns for the United States and Australia amid China's efforts to expand its influence in the region.
The Foreign Ministry stated that Japan is ready to assist in maritime security and aims to establish partnerships with Pacific island nations to enhance regional peace and stability through a strategy focused on making the Indian and Pacific Oceans free and open.
The foreign minister also sought understanding for Japan's plan to discharge one million tons of treated water into the ocean from the severely damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and Sogavare delivered a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida regarding this matter.
