Maldives-Japan bilateral talks centered around visa and aviation

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has held bilateral discussions during a meeting between the two leaders as part of President Solih’s current visit to Japan. 

The talks held during a summit meeting in Tokyo ranged from visa easements for Maldivians traveling to Japan as well as increasing aviation operations between the two countries. 

The two leaders also conversed on how best to forward the bilateral relations and the constructive engagement between Maldives and Japan which has a fruitful history. 

Japan is the single largest aid donor to the Maldives, helping the country progress in infrastructural development and virtually all socio-economic spheres: from health to education, to climate-resilience and environmental conservation. 

Alongside the Maldives’ national development efforts, Japanese aid was crucial in bolstering the Maldives’ successful graduation from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to Middle-Income Countries (MICs) status in 2011, and the President expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Japanese government and its people for the assistance it has provided for the Maldives over the years.

The two leaders also spoke regarding availing Japanese technical assistance and entrepreneurship in areas such as governance, infrastructural development, fiscal policy and also touched on increasing the number of Japanese tourists to the Maldives. 

The President also conveyed his congratulations to Emperor Naruhito for his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne and relayed his deepest sympathies for those affected by Typhoon Hagibis which devastated the region of Kantō in Japan last week.