FSM Information Services
Press Release
President Panuelo & President Sato of the Association for Promotion of International Cooperation Discuss Student Programs, FSM-Japan Kizuna
TOKYO, Japan—On November 11th, 2019 His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) attended a function hosted by the Honorable Peter Yoshiyasu Sato, President of the Association for Promotion of International Cooperation (APIC) and former Ambassador of Japan to the People’s Republic of China. The purpose of the function was to maintain and strengthen FSM-Japan relations through maintaining and strengthening FSM-APIC relations, which through partnership with Xavier High School in the FSM State of Chuuk and through partnership with the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT) provides scholarships for students to acquire undergraduate degrees (primarily in Sophia University’s Department of Liberal Arts) and graduate degrees in Global Environmental Sciences, respectively.
Ambassador Sato provided updates on the students engaged in the scholarships. The APIC/Sophia University Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient list includes Mary Helen Tamae Mori from the State of Chuuk, who began their term in September 2014 and graduated in 2018; Risa Mariana Abello Oue from the State of Pohnpei, who began their term in September 2015 and graduated in 2019; Andrei Miguel Diolola Ronquillo from the State of Chuuk, who began their term in September 2016 and will graduate in 2020; Shaun Riley Nanpei Perman Mingii from the State of Pohnpei, who began their term in September 2017 and will graduate in 2021; Chloe RoseAnne Arnold from the State of Chuuk who began their term in September 2018 and will graduate in 2022; Paul Edison Charley Jr. from the State of Kosrae who began their term in September 2018 and will graduate in 2022; and Ubai Robert Kingzio from the Republic of Palau, who began their term in September 2019 and will graduate in 2023.
The FSM National Government congratulates its APIC/Sophia University graduates, and wishes its contemporary students all the best in their studies, whether they hail from parts of the FSM or our neighbors in the broader Micronesian family.
Ambassador Sato also provided updates on the students engaged in MCT graduate school studies in Global Environmental Sciences. The list includes Bradford Geoffrey Mori from the State of Chuuk, who began their term in September 2017 and graduated in 2019; Bertha Mochieg Reyuw from the State of Yap, who began their term in September 2017 and graduated in 2019; Tamae Erick Waguk from the State of Kosrae, who began their term in September 2018 and will graduate in 2020; Lajkit Matthew Rufus from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, who began their term in September 2018 and will graduate in 2020; Annette Rose Ludwig from the State of Pohnpei, who began their term in September 2019 and will graduate in 2021; and Elchung Glays Hideyos from the Republic of Palau, who began their term in September 2019 and will graduate in 2021.
The FSM National Government congratulates its MCT graduates, and wishes its contemporary students all the best in their studies, whether they hail from parts of the FSM or our neighbors in the broader Micronesian family.
After Ambassador Sato provided updates and shared brief remarks on the friendship between the FSM and Japan, President Panuelo spoke about the Nation’s appreciation for the people and Government of Japan.
“We’re deeply honored to reconnect with our friends at APIC. My dear friend, Ambassador Sato, on behalf of our delegation,” President Panuelo began, “I wish to bring you warm greetings from our people and our Government. My heart is very glad to meet friends like you; my heart rejoices with a lot of the memories that we have shared together, and I would like to say that I am very proud of the work APIC does to promote our friendship. Japan and the great ethics you put into your Nation-Building process shows why your country is so powerful…because of the respect you have for each other, and for other countries.”
“I want to express our deep appreciation to you for building and promoting our special relationship, our Kizuna, between our two Governments,” President Panuelo continued. “It was beyond an honor to attend the Enthronement of His Majesty, the Emperor of the Reiwa or Beautiful Harmony era… that day began so windy and rainy, but as we sat down during the special ceremony...the sun rose and came out, and I felt it in my heart that the heavens are looking after the great people of Japan and the Government of Japan. We’re proud of Japan as our friends, and the generosity and the heart of the Japanese is the reason why countries respect Japan so much. You’re such a productive nation, and in your heart you’re willing to express cooperation with the rest of the world. We feel it in the FSM. We know it…and we look forward to working with you for the further promotion of our countries’ mutual interests, rooted in the foundation of true respect and true friendship with Japan.”
The President concluded his remarks by emphasizing that—as profoundly as the Nation appreciates Japan, so too is the FSM keen to support Japan in the capacities that it can.
“Japan does so much for our people in the FSM that I will make it a point when I meet with [His Excellency] Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe to note that our Nation prioritizes its relationship with Japan, and that we want to help Japan, too, however we can.”
President Panuelo will be meeting with Prime Minister Abe on November 14th, 2019.
