(Press Release)
April 16, 2025
Japan Ministry of Defense
On April 16, 2025, Defense Minister NAKATANI Gen held a meeting with His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻULUKALALA (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces) of Kingdom of Tonga. The summary of the meeting is as follows:
- At the outset of the meeting, Minister Nakatani welcomed HRH the Crown Prince ʻUlukalala’s visit to Japan again since his participation to the 2nd Japan Pacific Islands Defense Dialogue (JPIDD), which was held in March last year.
- Minister Nakatani welcomed that various defense cooperation and exchanges are advancing between Japan and Tonga as partners that share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
- Minister Nakatani expressed his delight that students from Tonga have successfully been accepted at the National Defense Academy of Japan, which was one of the items the Japanese side proposed last March, and HRH the Crown Prince ʻUlukalala stated his appreciation for the acceptance.
- Minister Nakatani and HRH the Crown Prince ʻUlukalala also exchanged opinions on future defense cooperation and exchanges between the two countries, and they affirmed to further advance Japan-Tonga defense cooperation relationship.
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