(* 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 Masahiko Koumura

Date: Friday, July 4, 2008, 10:50 a.m.
Place: Briefing Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Main topics:

The response to rising food prices in developing countries
Climate change issue
Assistance to Afghanistan
Public interest corporations under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1. The response to rising food prices in developing countries

Minister:
The issue of rising food prices is naturally addressed at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. Japan has already announced or implemented 200 million US dollars food aid. In addition to that, the government of Japan decided on a new assistance in food package of approximately 50 million US dollars by October this year. Including food aid and assistance in the agricultural sector, this reaches approximately 1.1 billion US dollars.

Question:
There are some media reports that the issue of food part in the drafted documents for the G8 Summit will refer to the creation of a reserve system to be contributed to by each country. What is your view on that?

Minister:
Nothing has been completely settled on that matter. I think that we will have discussions on various aspects as to the way the reserves will work, such as whether or not they are actually maintained in warehouses or whether or not this is just a matter of keeping reserves on the books. Naturally, we will discuss about what should be done so that the reserves can immediately respond to urgent needs. But I understand that nothing has yet been decided yet as to how that will be treated in document format.

Question:
Do you intend to continue to consider that issue in the G8 framework ahead?

Minister:
As I said, if these issues can be settled there will be no need to prolong this matter, but right now various points are being adjusted. At this time, we still have not yet worked out the issues in this regard.

2. Climate change issue

Question:
In advance of the G8 Summit, the Japan-US Summit talks will be held. In the interview to the Japanese media, which focused on climate change, among other issues, the US President indicated that many countries should participate to make long-term goals concrete. As for the climate change issue, apparently, there are still, many points which need to be cleared before an agreement can be reached. Can you tell us what the current outlook is?

Minister:
From Japan's perspective, not only the United States, of course, but also those developing countries like China and India whose expected emission volumes will continue to increase, need to join the framework after 2013. We must get everybody to join that framework. This is Japan's view regarding this situation, so we intend to work on all of the major emitter countries to act in this regard. Currently, it is in that process so we are not sure what the conclusion will be.

Related Information (Climate Change)

3. Assistance to Afghanistan

Question:
President Bush, in his same interview to the Japanese media, using the phrase that it looks like the Afghanistan issue is Japan's national security matter and indicated his strong expectation for Japan's contributions in this regard. Will Japan respond accordingly?

Minister:
I have stated this many times at this venue, but from the perspective of the Government of Japan, until now we have handled measures against terrorism and measures to ensure public safety on one hand and reconstruction and humanitarian assistance on the other hand, as two wheels of one cart In particular, regarding reconstruction and humanitarian assistance, Japan has achieved the status of the biggest donor, second after the United States. Furthermore, regarding what Japan can do in terms of measures against terrorism and measures for public safety, Japan has strong determination to do whatever it can and we are giving various considerations in this regard. However, as you are very well aware, in the event that the Self-Defense Forces are dispatched, this would require a new law to be passed, and that is not such an easy thing to do. We are nevertheless giving various considerations as to what we can do. I have stated this many times at this location, but no conclusion has been reached on the outcome of those considerations.

Question:
There are reports that an extraordinary session of the Diet may be convened at the end of August. Given the necessary itinerary, when do you think the considerations in that regard will be settled?

Minister:
Even if, hypothetically speaking, the Self-Defense Forces were to be dispatched to do something under the framework of a new law it would be necessary for a bill to be submitted to the extraordinary session of the Diet at an early part of the session. Counting backwards from that, I do not really know exactly when that should be, but I can tell you that the sooner, the better.

4. Public interest corporations under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

(See Japanese version.)

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