(* This is a provisional translation by a translation service company for reference purpose only. The original text is in Japanese.)
Press Conference by Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura
Date: Tuesday, September 13, 2005, 11:00 a.m.
Place: Briefing Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Main topics:
1. Cabinet Meeting
Minister:
I was reelected. I'm glad to continue to work with you.
At the Cabinet Meeting today, it was decided that Japan will sign the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled to sign the Convention at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where he will be attending the High-Level Plenary meeting of the 60th General Assembly. There have been made the Twelve (12) international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols so far. We hope this newly-added convention contributes to further strengthening of counterterrorism.
Other topics are: reports on typhoon damages and the number of centenarians which will set a new record of about 25,000. About 12,000 persons of those persons have increased in one year.
Please double-check at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare exact number of persons. It means about 1% of persons who were born in 1905 are centenarians this year. Moreover, the number of women is overwhelmingly more than that of men and the proportion of male to female among them is 15 to 85. We talked this topic of some length.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary announced that the bill related to the privatization of the postal services will be resubmitted with necessary adjustment to the special Diet session and asked to adjust it as soon as possible.
Regarding my business trip, I will depart from Narita Airport this evening and will return in the evening of 19 September 2005. During the trip, I will develop positive diplomacy in the Special and Ordinary Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, various meetings, and bilateral talks. That is it.
Question:
You stayed in the room after the Cabinet Meeting. What did you discuss?
Minister:
Since I could not discuss the foreign diplomacy with the Prime Minister during the campaign, I discussed various concerns with him. Especially, I reported on UN General Assembly, significance and purpose of this Special Session, what types of meetings to be held, and the current status of Security Council reform.
Question:
This was the first Cabinet Meeting after the Lower House election. How was the atmosphere of the Cabinet Meeting? Did anybody mention the election?
Minister:
Nothing special. After the Cabinet Meeting, some ministers just said, "Congratulations, Prime Minister." When the Prime Minister came into the waiting room, ministers burst into applause when he was there. That is it.
2. The Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law
Question:
Did anybody mention the treatment of the Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law?
Minister:
I refrain from commenting on it.
Question:
It seems the special Diet session will be about 40 days from the latter part of this month. We believe that the Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law should be discussed in the session. How do you think of it currently? When do you think the Government has to decide on a policy regarding it by?
Minister:
As I remember, the Prime Minister answered yesterday in the press stakeout that he will adjust it in the Government as soon as possible. That's all.
Related Information (Counter Terrorism)
3. Six-Party Talks on North Korean Issues
Question:
The Six-Party Talks will resume today. Please tell us the prospect at present.
Minister:
The positions of five nations including Japan became considerably clear at the final stage of the previous meeting. The point is that how North Korea brought the assignment back to consider and will give an answer in the meeting. Since we have not gained any accurate information on the response of North Korea, it is difficult to present a prospect of the meeting at present. I hope that the six parties will engage in constructive and forward-looking discussion as much as possible.
Question:
How about the prospect of Japan-North Korea talk?
Minister:
At the final stage of the previous meeting, we told our position and suggested that the North Korea side add the person in charge of Japan-North Korea relations to their delegation in the meeting to be resumed after the recess. I have no idea how they will take our suggestion.
Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
4. News Reports on Withdrawals of U.K. and Australian Troops from Iraq
Question:
According to some news reports, U.K. and Australia sending security forces to Iraq unofficially informed Japan the possibility of withdrawals of their troops.
Minister:
That is not true. Since we have been operating together with them on site, it is natural we exchange various information and have contact, discussion and consultation as routine work. However, the Prime Minister has not been consulted with a focus on such matter. As I always say, our basic position is consistent that Japan comprehensively and independently determines in consideration of progress of democratization process on site, security situation on site, situation of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance and situation of the international community. Therefore, it is premature to determine on our troops in Iraq at least at present.
Question:
Will you determine the extension of the Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law and the extension of the Law Concerning the Special Measures on Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance in Iraq at each aspect separately, or think of them relatively with some relevance?
Minister:
Since both are diplomacy matters, they are not completely unrelated. However, due to the nature of matters, we should start to determine separately.
Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)
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