AN official from the Japanese Foreign Affairs ministry is in the country as part of his familiarisation trip around the region.
Mai Baba from the Oceania Division with the Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau arrived yesterday from Fiji.
Speaking to the Solomon Star Ms Baba said she was excited about her trip to the Pacific after being appointed to look after affairs of some of the island nations namely Cook islands, Fiji, Nuie, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
But on her current trip, she is only visiting Samoa, Fiji and Solomon Islands.
In Samoa she visited some of the devastated areas there while in Fiji she had consultation with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Baba moved into the Asian and Oceania Bureau last September.
"This is my first time to see the region and Solomon Islands and I'm excited about this trip," she said.
She said coming out into the islands is part of the job to experience and see how these island nations are governed and conduct their welfare in terms of social and economic activities.
While in the country she met with government officials and the overseas heads of missions.
On Friday she will accompany the Japanese Embassy delegation to Don Bosco at Tetere for a handing over ceremony of a Japanese government funded project.
Ms Baba, who graduated with a degree in political science, said her role at the bureau is to monitor the various political, social and economic situation of each of the island nation.
"And so I'm also interested to know about the political, social and economic activities of this country," she said.
With the national general election coming up in the middle of this year, Ms Baba said it’s one of the major events that she will be closely watching from her Tokyo office.
Ms Baba did her education in Japan and Germany and since worked at the Japanese International Organised Crime Division, Global Environment Division before moving to the Asian and Oceania Bureau.
She will leave for Japan on Saturday via Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
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