Signing Ceremony for the 2025 Fiscal Year Grant Assistance to Tonga (The Project for the Improvement of Fua'amotu International Airport)
2025/8/19
On 19 August, His Excellency Mr. INAGAKI Hisao, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Tonga, and Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Valu Eke, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, signed the Exchange of Notes on Japan’s Grant Assistance to Tonga for the Project for the Improvement of Fua'amotu International Airport with a grant aid of 2.549 billion JPY, equivalent to 17.7 million USD.
The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelagic nation comprising approximately 170 islands scattered across a north-south distance of about 800 kilometres. Due to the geographical dispersion of the islands that make up its territory, air transport plays a crucial role as a means of transportation and logistics, as well as in tourism, trade, and the provision of various social services. Fua'amotu International Airport is one of the two major airports in the country and serves as the gateway to Tonga, located on Tongatapu Island, the capital. In 1989, Japan provided grant aid to construct an international passenger terminal building, apron, taxiways, access roads, parking lots, and ground support equipment at the airport. However, due to the recent increase in air traffic, the passenger terminal building has become congested, and some corrosions has been detected in some structures, necessitating urgent renovation.
This cooperation project aims to improve the convenience of Fua'amotu International Airport by expanding and renovating the existing international passenger terminal building and its ancillary facilities, thereby contributing to the strengthening of Tonga's industrial infrastructure.
Ambassador Inagaki mentioned that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Tonga, and referred to the visit to Japan of Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Tonga in April. He emphasized that the close ties between Tonga’s Royal Household and Japan’s Imperial Household form the foundation of the good bilateral relations, and expressed his hope that the project will further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and contribute to the development of tourism, which is a key industry for Tonga's economy.
Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Eke, Prime Minister of Tonga expressed his deepest gratitude to the people and Government of Japan for their significant assistance. He highlighted that Japan’s exceptional support for “enhancing the Kingdom’s connectivity with quality infrastructure, investment and promotion of inclusive economic prosperity,” which is a part of its vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” He also emphasized that the project “reinvigorates our close friendship, strengthens our bond or ‘kizuna’ - which remains strong.”
The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelagic nation comprising approximately 170 islands scattered across a north-south distance of about 800 kilometres. Due to the geographical dispersion of the islands that make up its territory, air transport plays a crucial role as a means of transportation and logistics, as well as in tourism, trade, and the provision of various social services. Fua'amotu International Airport is one of the two major airports in the country and serves as the gateway to Tonga, located on Tongatapu Island, the capital. In 1989, Japan provided grant aid to construct an international passenger terminal building, apron, taxiways, access roads, parking lots, and ground support equipment at the airport. However, due to the recent increase in air traffic, the passenger terminal building has become congested, and some corrosions has been detected in some structures, necessitating urgent renovation.
This cooperation project aims to improve the convenience of Fua'amotu International Airport by expanding and renovating the existing international passenger terminal building and its ancillary facilities, thereby contributing to the strengthening of Tonga's industrial infrastructure.
Ambassador Inagaki mentioned that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Tonga, and referred to the visit to Japan of Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Tonga in April. He emphasized that the close ties between Tonga’s Royal Household and Japan’s Imperial Household form the foundation of the good bilateral relations, and expressed his hope that the project will further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and contribute to the development of tourism, which is a key industry for Tonga's economy.
Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Eke, Prime Minister of Tonga expressed his deepest gratitude to the people and Government of Japan for their significant assistance. He highlighted that Japan’s exceptional support for “enhancing the Kingdom’s connectivity with quality infrastructure, investment and promotion of inclusive economic prosperity,” which is a part of its vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” He also emphasized that the project “reinvigorates our close friendship, strengthens our bond or ‘kizuna’ - which remains strong.”
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