Antigua and Barbuda and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations following high-level talks held on the sidelines of the 29th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) in Paramaribo, Suriname. According to Antigua.news, the discussions covered several areas of mutual interest and future cooperation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs E.P. Chet Greene met with Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eri Arfiya, in what both sides described as a productive exchange. Vice-Minister Arfiya used the occasion to congratulate the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party on its recent election victory and thanked Minister Greene for his support of Japan, including his attendance at Expo 2025 in Osaka — an engagement she credited with helping to deepen ties between the two nations.
Greene, in turn, highlighted the longstanding and positive relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and Japan, and expressed appreciation for Japan's continued assistance to CARICOM in areas including climate change, disaster risk management, sustainable development, and global financial reform.
The Foreign Minister also raised the issue of transportation support for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a request that reportedly received favourable consideration from the Japanese delegation.
The two officials also revisited Antigua and Barbuda's interest in establishing a permanent diplomatic mission in Tokyo, with Greene indicating the matter would advance once feasibility studies are completed.
Both countries reaffirmed shared commitments to democracy, sovereignty, and respect for international law. The talks also touched on ongoing discussions surrounding reform of the United Nations Security Council, as well as a review of existing Japanese-supported initiatives currently operating in Antigua and Barbuda.
