(* This is a provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only. The original text is in Japanese.)

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Hirofumi Nakasone

Date: Friday, October 17, 2008, 9:50 a.m.
Place: In front of the Cabinet Meeting Room in the House

Main topics:

Opening Statement by the Minister
North Korean Issues
Media Reports concerning Senior Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Masatoshi Kurata

1. Opening Statement

Minister:
From this evening I will be departing for the United Arab Emirates in order to attend the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the "Forum for the Future" under the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) Initiative. This has been approved by the Cabinet. Furthermore, on October 22, the Georgia donors' conference will be held in Brussels and I have dispatched Parliamentary Vice-Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura to that conference given that, for its part, Japan intends to cooperate in the provision of reconstruction assistance to Georgia.

Related Information (Press Release)

2. North Korean Issues

Question:
Regarding the Six-Party Talks concerning North Korea, it seems that there is a prospect that in the near future the next Heads of Delegation Meeting will be held. Next week, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will be held in Beijing. Can you tell me what the likelihood is of the Heads of Delegation Meeting taking place?

Minister:
I do not know whether there is any connection with the ASEM Meeting, but from our perspective, given that the United Sates and North Korea have reached agreement, I believe that based on that agreement the Six-Party Talks should be held as quickly as possible, and that the concrete framework for verification should be thoroughly documented, and negotiations must be launched as quickly as possible in order to achieve denuclearization. Since China is serving as the chair, I am sure that there will be some consultations on the schedule and other matters, with China leading the meeting. Depending on the circumstances in the Diet, I am not sure whether Prime Minister Aso will be able to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting, but from our perspective we would like to have the Six-Party Talks held as quickly as possible.

Question:
Regarding the Six-Party Talks, is it correct to understand that they will be held sometime prior to the presidential election in the United States early in November?

Minister:
I do not know. The presidential election aside, considering that in fact an agreement has been reached, I do think it is important to advance the process further.

3. Media Reports concerning Senior Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Masatoshi Kurata

Question:
This morning, there was a report in the Asahi Shimbun related to Senior Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Masatoshi Kurata, in which Senior Vice-Minister Kurata was alleged to have worked on the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see to it that visas be issued for certain groups of Filipinos. Can you confirm the facts in this matter?

Minister:
We are currently in the process of confirming the facts in this matter. As such, at this point in time, I cannot respond to you.

Question:
Don't you at least have the information as to whether the two Ministries were approached in this case?

Minister:
Currently, the facts are being verified. That is the only response I can give you.

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