Overview:
As the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge approaches its 25th anniversary, Palau is partnering with JICA on a comprehensive long-term maintenance plan to safeguard the nation's critical roads, bridges, and heavy infrastructure through 2030.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau (Oct. 22, 2026) — “Reporting is very important. Recording and reporting,” said Tkakl Mekreos, chief of Road and Bridge Maintenance, as Palau develops a long-term system to maintain the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge and other critical public infrastructure.
As the bridge approaches its 25th anniversary in January 2027, Palau is working with Japan to strengthen inspections, train local staff and establish a long-term maintenance plan for roads, bridges and heavy equipment.
The Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge, also known as the Koror-Babeldaob Bridge, connects Koror with Babeldaob, where the national government and much of the country’s infrastructure are located. Completed in 2000 with more than 3.2 billion yen in Japanese assistance, the bridge is a vital link for transportation and essential services.
“This bridge is very important,” Mekreos said. “It carries water lines, electricity, and also communication lines.”
The current bridge replaced the original Koror-Babeldaob Bridge, which collapsed in 1996. Mekreos said engineers learned from the first bridge’s failure, which was attributed to concrete failure and insufficient maintenance and inspection.
“Learning from the first bridge, the engineers decided to use the extradosed bridge in a composite material,” he said.
That experience is helping shape Palau’s efforts to prevent similar infrastructure problems through regular inspections, better recordkeeping and planned maintenance.
Long-term plan with Japan
In 2025, Palau began a technical cooperation project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, called “Establishment of Asset Management System of Roads, Bridges and Heavy Machineries in SIDS.” The project will continue through 2030.
The initiative aims to help Palau develop a systematic way to assess the condition of public infrastructure, identify maintenance needs and plan repairs before problems become more serious.
Palau is working with JICA, KEI, SPI and PCCK on the project, which also involves the Koror State Government, the Palau Public Utilities Corporation, Nauru and the Marshall Islands.
A regional seminar held in June brought participants together to discuss common challenges and share practical solutions.
“We have the chance to get to know each other and share our challenges, our best practices,” Mekreos said.
The project includes maintenance workshops, pilot inspections and the development of systems for managing information about roads, bridges and heavy machinery. It also seeks to strengthen local technical skills and adapt Japanese infrastructure management practices to the needs of small island developing states.
Mekreos said the project’s first phase identified gaps in technical knowledge and expertise. The next phase will focus on developing the management system and training local personnel to carry out inspections and maintenance work.
Detailed bridge inspection planned
Although the bridge receives a general inspection every year, Mekreos said a detailed inspection has not been conducted since 2002.
A new detailed inspection is planned between 2026 and 2028. It will use concrete-penetrating X-ray technology to help assess the condition and structural integrity of the bridge.
“Just by looking at the outside of the bridge, the bridge looks pretty good,” Mekreos said. “But pretty soon we will be using concrete penetrating X-rays to do a detailed inspection and assess the integrity of the concrete.”
The inspection is intended to provide a clearer picture of the bridge’s condition beyond what can be seen from the outside.
The findings can help officials determine what maintenance is needed and support decisions about how to protect the structure over the long term.
Better records, climate planning
The project will also establish standard operating procedures and maintenance plans, along with a geographic information system map covering roads, bridges and heavy machinery. Mekreos said Palau is working with Polaris on the mapping effort.
Having reliable records of public infrastructure will help government officials identify problems, set priorities and make better-informed decisions about maintenance spending.
“We will better inform our leaders,” he said.
The initiative will also help Palau consider climate risks when planning infrastructure maintenance and future improvements.
“With these new initiatives, we can start to incorporate climate solutions and designs to maintain our infrastructure based on climate advice,” Mekreos said.
For Palau, the effort represents a practical extension of its long-standing partnership with Japan. Beyond maintaining a bridge that connects two major parts of the country, the goal is to build local expertise and establish a system that can protect public infrastructure for decades to come.
Mekreos said strengthening local staff’s ability to inspect infrastructure, maintain accurate records and report findings is central to the project’s success.
“Recording and reporting” will be essential to helping Palau understand the condition of its infrastructure and make timely decisions about its future.