Kishida promises greater economic assistance to Cuba in landmark visit
HAVANA – On the heels of a historic thaw between the United States and Cuba, Fumio Kishida became the first Japanese foreign minister to visit the communist nation, pledging grant aids totaling several million dollars.
At his meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on May 2, Kishida said Japan will begin a full-blown program to provide grant assistance to Cuba as early as in fiscal 2016 to strengthen bilateral ties. He also praised the efforts to improve U.S.-Cuba relations.
“We welcome the progress in Cuba’s rapprochement with the United States and support the development,” Kishida said.
The Japanese foreign minister also met with Fidel Castro, former longtime Cuban president, for 45 minutes at his residence, and with Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother and the current president, in a separate meeting the same day.
According to the foreign minister, Fidel, 88, praised Japanese as diligent and Japanese products as high quality while expressing appreciation for friendly bilateral relations.
A state-run broadcaster reported on the meeting between Kishida and Raul, saying they shared the view that Japan-Cuba relations are amicable.
At his meeting with Rodriguez, the Cuban foreign minister said his nation hopes to improve relations with Japan in various fields, including trade and investment.
They agreed on strengthening economic ties between the two countries, with Cuba moving to pave the way for Japanese businesses to make inroads into the Cuban market.
Japan’s assistance is expected to include medical equipment, which Cuba suffers a shortage of, and other articles that will be provided as grant aids. A Japanese team will likely visit Cuba later this year in regard to the assistance.
Kishida also called for Cuba’s cooperation in urging North Korea, which has close ties with the Caribbean state, to make constructive responses to the contentious issues of its nuclear and missile programs and the abduction of Japanese nationals, which Tokyo has been pressing.
(From The Asahi Shimbun)
[Photo at top: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, second from left, and his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, right, talk to each other across the table at a meeting in Havana on May 2.]
