Japan gives rescue boat to Fiji in 1st provision of security aid
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's government on Monday provided the Fiji navy with a rescue boat and other equipment for surveillance activities, in the first such delivery to a foreign military under Tokyo's security aid framework launched in 2023.
The provision was made under Japan's Official Security Assistance program that is intended to deepen security ties with like-minded countries. The scheme was launched as China intensified its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
A handover ceremony was held at the Stanley Brown Naval Base in the Fijian capital of Suva, attended by senior officials from both governments, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
The assistance is expected to "contribute to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific through maintenance and enhancement of maritime security in the seas around Fiji and the Indo-Pacific region," the ministry said.
Having set aside 400 million yen ($2.8 million) for aid to Fiji in fiscal 2023, Japan will deliver additional items such as patrol and rescue boats to the Pacific island nation.
The defense aid program was created months after the National Security Strategy, Japan's long-term policy guideline, was updated in December 2022 amid a worsening security environment, including North Korea's expanding missile and nuclear activities and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Japan has also decided to supply defense equipment to Bangladesh, Djibouti, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia and the Philippines under the program.
For fiscal 2025 that began in April, the government earmarked 8.1 billion yen for OSA assistance, up from 2 billion yen in fiscal 2023 and 5 billion yen in fiscal 2024.
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