August 10, 2026
Sokehs, Pohnpei — The Government of Japan today formally handed over an excavator and road maintenance tools to Sokehs Municipal Government, equipment intended to help the municipality maintain secondary roads and improve access to schools, health care, markets and other services for approximately 6,600 residents.
Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII Iwao represented the Japanese government at the handover ceremony at the Sokehs Municipal Government during a brief visit to Pohnpei that also included meetings with FSM government officials.
The equipment was provided through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects program and consists of an excavator and a set of tools for road repair and maintenance.
According to information provided in advance of the ceremony by the Embassy of Japan to the FSM, the equipment will be used to repair and maintain roads throughout Sokehs, including secondary coral roads. The Embassy said improved road maintenance is expected to provide residents with safer year-round access to schools, health facilities and markets, while also improving access for emergency vehicles.
Sokehs Chief Magistrate Stanley R. Ernest thanked Japan for the donation on behalf of the municipal government and the people of Sokehs, describing the equipment as representing more than its practical value.
“This isn’t just a new piece of machinery, but a major upgrade for our international cooperation,” Ernest said.
He thanked Japan for what he described as its generosity, trust and continued partnership with Sokehs and assured Japanese officials that the excavator would be used responsibly in service to the community.
Pohnpei Acting Governor Herolyn S. Movick also spoke at the ceremony, describing the donation in the context of the longstanding relationship between Pohnpei and Japan.
“This piece of machinery may not seem much, but it represents the strength of our people,” Movick said. “It represents something bigger, our continued partnership, our continued collaboration, and the enduring friendship that we have had for a long time.”
She expressed Pohnpei’s gratitude for Japan’s continued friendship and said she hoped the relationship would continue into the future.
HORII said he was honored to participate in the ceremony on behalf of the Japanese government and thanked Sokehs Municipal Government and those involved in bringing the project to completion.
He said Japan provided the excavator and maintenance equipment under its grassroots human security assistance program to help maintain roads that are essential to the daily lives of Sokehs residents.
“This equipment will maintain the quality of roads that are essential to the daily lives of the people of Sokehs thereby enhancing the convenience and the quality of life of local residents,” HORII said.
He said Japan’s approach to human security is intended to improve living standards and the welfare of people through projects with direct effects on communities.
HORII said he hoped improved road conditions would make daily travel easier, facilitate transportation of goods and provide better access to health care and education.
“This enhanced accessibility and connectivity will also contribute to boosting economic activities,” he said.
The State Minister placed the Sokehs project within the broader relationship between Japan and the FSM, saying the two countries are “precious friends connected by Pacific Ocean.”
He said Japan and the FSM have a history of exchange spanning more than 150 years and described the Sokehs ceremony as one of many symbols of the relationship between the two countries.
HORII also looked ahead to the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, which Japan will host next year and which will bring together leaders from Pacific Island countries, including the FSM.
He said Japan intends to continue working with the FSM to address issues facing the country and contribute to its prosperity.
“I sincerely hope that the friendly relations between Japan and the Federated States of Micronesia will continue to grow ever stronger in the future,” HORII said.
For Sokehs, however, the immediate result of that relationship is considerably more tangible: heavy equipment that municipal officials can put to work maintaining the roads residents depend on each day.
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