Against the backdrop of growing diplomatic engagement between Caribbean nations and Asian global powers, senior diplomatic representatives from Antigua and Barbuda and Japan convened for targeted bilateral talks on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The discussions took place on the margins of the 29th Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) gathering, hosted this year in Paramaribo, the capital of the Republic of Suriname.
Leading the delegations were two senior officials: E.P. Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, and Eri Arfiya, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. The meeting centered on advancing mutual cooperation and aligning shared priorities across a range of regional and global issues.
Opening the formal dialogue, Vice-Minister Arfiya extended formal congratulations to Minister Greene on the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s (ABLP) recent victory in the country’s general election, securing the party’s renewed mandate to govern. She also expressed gratitude for Greene’s high-profile visit to Japan during the 2025 Osaka Expo, an official engagement that she noted had significantly strengthened the bonds of solidarity between the two nations.
In his response, Minister Greene commended the longstanding positive diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also thanked Japan for its consistent, sustained support to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) across four critical policy areas: climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, reform of the global financial architecture, and advancing inclusive sustainable development across the Caribbean region.
Greene used the bilateral meeting as an opportunity to formally request Japanese support for transportation logistics ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Vice-Minister Arfiya indicated that the request received favorable consideration from the Japanese delegation, moving it forward in the official review process.
A key topic of long-term strategic discussion was the potential for Antigua and Barbuda to establish a permanent diplomatic mission in Tokyo. Both sides agreed to revisit the proposal once Antigua and Barbuda completes the required feasibility studies to assess the practical and financial viability of the new mission.
Beyond bilateral priorities, the two officials reaffirmed their shared commitment to core global principles: mutual respect for democracy, national sovereignty, and adherence to international law. They also exchanged views on ongoing negotiations surrounding United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform, and conducted a review of existing Japanese development projects currently underway across Antigua and Barbuda.