(* 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, August 1, 2008, 10:50 a.m.
Place: Press Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Main topic:
- Foreign Minister's Tenure in Office
1. Foreign Minister's Tenure in Office
Question:
Could you please give a wrap-up evaluation of the work that you have done as Foreign Minister during the tenure of this Cabinet?
Minister:
Prime Minister Fukuda has spoken of a "synergy" between the policies of the strengthening of the Japan-US alliance and the promotion of Asian diplomacy. From the perspective of advancing synergy diplomacy, I have tried to move forward on that basis. From the beginning, I have believed that good relations between Japan and the United States would certainly contribute to promoting our Asian diplomacy and that as our relations with Asia are improved and Japan gets more trust from Asia, then that would certainly serve a role in strengthening our relations with the United States. I have said that in this way we will create a "virtuous circle." The term "virtuous circle" has been used for a long time, but when we use the term "synergy" between the policies of the strengthening of the Japan-US alliance and the promotion of Asian diplomacy, I believe that it sounds more pregnant. I, too, have done my very best along those lines. Regarding the new Replenishment Support Special Measures Law, we had to make tremendous efforts, but instead of merely extending the law that existed until then, we were, in fact, able to create the new law and get it through the Diet after making great and strenuous efforts and, therefore, I believe that it was extremely good that we were able to get the law through the Diet based on the joint efforts of the Minister of Defense, the Chief Cabinet Secretary and, of course, the Prime Minister himself. Furthermore, I believe that during this period, our diplomacy vis-à-vis Asia has fundamentally advanced in a positive direction. In particular, regarding the issue of gas fields in the East China Sea, although we have not reached a comprehensive solution that would involve delimitating the sea boundary between the two countries' Exclusive Economic Zone, at the current stage, we have realized and fully achieved a mutually beneficial relationship based on common and strategic interests and currently I believe there is a win-win situation prevailing in Japan-China relations. If I am to do a comprehensive wrap-up, then I would say that, comprehensively speaking, that would describe the situation, although each of the specific cases that we are dealing with has many factors relating to them.
Question:
You previously served as Foreign Minister under the administration of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and you have been able to feel for yourself the various difficulties that have existed in Japanese diplomacy under the changeable environments. Could you comment somewhat on that, please?
Minister:
I do not believe that there will ever be, at any time in the future, a period when diplomacy is not difficult. The concerns that prevail from each time are different, but if I was to speak from a perspective that stretches out as far as we are able to grasp in terms of the big picture, I would say that, going forward, certainly, Japan-US relations are important and that firmly maintaining the Japan-US Alliance will contribute to improving our relations with Asia, the very region Japan is located in. And I think that by building a relationship in which Japan receives the trust of Asia then that will be beneficial for strengthening, even further, Japan-US relations. I do not think there will be any major change to that basic scheme. I certainly do not know what the situation will be 100 or 200 years from now, but I do not think that there will be any difference occurring within the realm of predictability based on our current outlook. That is why I believe that "synergy diplomacy," the principle pushed forward by Prime Minister Fukuda, is extremely insightful in rhetoric and beneficial in substance.
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