Meeting with Chief Executive Officer of Ministry of Justice and Court Administration in Samoa

From 14 to 17 February 2024, officials of the Ministry of Justice of Japan headed by Ms. SHIBATA Noriko, Assistant Vice-Minister of Justice, visited justice and legal agencies including the Ministry of Justice and Court Administration, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Ministry of Police and Correction to build comprehensive relations with the Pacific Island nations in the field of law and justice, under the initiative of the ‘Justice Affairs Diplomacy.’

Ms. Shibata had a meeting with the Ministry of Justice and Court Administration, represented by Mr. Papali’i John Taimalelagi Afele, Chief Executive Officer, to agree on establishment of the ‘Strategic Dialogue on Law and Justice between Samoa and Japan’ and exchange views on the areas of possible future cooperation between both countries.

At this meeting, CEO Papali’i and officers at the Ministry of Justice and Court Administration expressed high expectations towards future cooperation with Japan.

During this visit, Ms. Shibata also had meetings with Ms. Su’a Hellene Wallwork, Mr. Mualaivao Pepe Seiuli, The Honourable Faualo Harry Jeffrey Schuster, and the PILON Secretariat to exchange information and opinions on the possible areas of cooperation in the future.

The Ministry of Justice of Japan will take the Strategic Dialogue with Samoa and Fiji (agreed in January) as an essential dialogue platform to strengthen partnership between Japan and the Pacific Island Nations and to futher promote the rule of law with the Pacific Island Nations.