(* 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: Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 9:54 a.m.
Place: Briefing Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Main topics:
- Opening Remarks by Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura
- Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura's Thoughts on His Tenure in Office and His Expectations for the New Cabinet
1. Opening Remarks by Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura
Minister:
Although it has not been for a very long period, I would like to say thank you very much for this one year.
2. Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura's Thoughts on His Tenure in Office and His Expectations for the New Cabinet
Question:
This may be the final press conference that you give as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Fukuda Cabinet. As such, are there any matters which you feel that you are leaving unaccomplished after serving this one year as Minister for Foreign Affairs?
Minister:
At the current point in time, I am not absolutely certain that we will be able to continue carrying out the refueling activities in the Indian Ocean beyond next year, and that is something that I feel I have left unaccomplished. Furthermore, in terms of North Korean issues, we have been forced to face stagnation in addressing the nuclear issues and the abductions issue. Even though these issues are matters that must be resolved quickly, I would like to hand these tasks over to my successor in a forthright manner. I think it is extremely unfortunate that we are in stagnation in these issues.
Question:
I suppose that the next Prime Minister will be Prime Minister Aso. Mr. Aso has also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and therefore I would like to know what your expectations are for the Aso diplomacy. Furthermore, I observe some differences in the nuances between the policies that were carried out by Prime Minister Abe working with Foreign Minister Aso under the themes of the Arc of Freedom and Prosperity and values diplomacy, and on the other hand, the synergy diplomacy that was undertaken through the combination of Prime Minister Fukuda and Foreign Minister Koumura. Could you perhaps tell us a little bit more about your thoughts on that?
Minister:
Whether we are talking about former Prime Minister Abe or former Foreign Minister Aso, both of them had opportunities to observe diplomacy from the time they were children, and therefore I think that their understanding of diplomacy is second nature to them. As such, I believe we are able to be at ease with their ways of being involved in diplomacy. Furthermore, the concepts of values diplomacy and the Arc of Freedom and Prosperity are matters that identify methods. Meanwhile, the Government of Japan has been consistent in its aspirations that the nations of the world be such that the people of the world can embrace freedom and democracy and have respect for fundamental human rights. It is in that mode that we will continue to carry out our diplomacy. Naturally, in aiming for such objectives there are both positive elements and negative elements, and therefore it is the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs who, depending on their personalities, are able to forge the merits of such concepts. Even though Japan has raised the banner of the Arc of Freedom and Prosperity, it absolutely does not mean that Japan undertakes a diplomatic policy of forcing this concept on others. Even if we take a look at the concept of proactive diplomacy, I do not think there is any change in the actual content of the diplomacy that Japan carries out, while it is up to the perception of the incumbent Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at each given time whether they should promote a diplomacy that is quietly ingrained or one that raises targets to make it easily understandable for the people. I believe that I said the same kind of thing when I first took office as Foreign Minister, and held my very first press conference.
Question:
I understand that the Fukuda Administration established two key phrases for conducting diplomatic negotiations, which were "Peace Fostering Nation" and "synergy diplomacy." How do you think these two concepts will be carried on in the new administration?
Minister:
Naturally, I believe that these concepts will be thoroughly carried on. Each administration chooses new key concepts. For example, while it is yet to be seen whether the next Cabinet will carry forth the concept of the Arc of Freedom and Prosperity, I do not think in any way that Mr. Aso would say anything that was opposed to the concept of synergy diplomacy. I believe that he will carry that forward in his new Cabinet, but whether he will maintain that same phrase is a different matter. Furthermore, the concept of "Peace Fostering Nation" is something that is absolutely essential to Japan's survival as an island country without natural resources. Therefore, naturally, I think that it will be carried forward and I do not think that it is the most appropriate thing for each new Cabinet to create new concepts from the ones that were created before. Still, what type of concept is selected is a matter which should be decided by the new Cabinet.
Question:
During this one year, how do you evaluate the way progress has been made in Japan-China relations? Furthermore, there have been many difficulties in Japan-US relations, and I would like to know how you evaluate those as well.
Minister:
Regarding Japan-China relations, I think there is no questioning the fact that progress was made. I believe that it was Prime Minister Abe who managed to thaw the ice in Japan-China relations, and that under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fukuda we were able to create relations that will not backslide. As for the issue of the East China Sea, we basically advanced to a stage where a tentative political agreement was reached. I believe that to be an extremely good thing. Still, there are sensitivities and that is a matter of the feelings of the peoples of both of our nations. In terms of bilateral relations and diplomacy, if you establish the relations as win or lose, then you will of your own accord be worsening the feelings of the people. In an extremely close region of the world we have two nations that can be referred to as major powers in terms of political and economic matters. There is a tendency for things to be considered as if one of those countries has lost and one of those has won, but whether we choose a path along which both nations can develop or we choose a route along which we will be pulling each other down is an extremely important decision that will make a big difference in whether the 21st century is an age of Northeast Asia. Through diplomacy we aim to achieve a win-win relationship and if the peoples of our nations want their rival to lose and if we take up that stance and bring about defeat on the part of our counterpart, then as a result, in terms of the overall international community, both of us will lose. That is the nature of diplomacy and therefore it is necessary for both of our peoples to maintain a magnanimous perspective and not seek for one side to win or lose in our bilateral relations. I guess that currently we have not yet reached that phase in the relations. Once there is mutual trust between the peoples of our nations, our mutual relations will become solid. In order for us to have mutual trust we first need mutual understanding, and to realize mutual trust we must conduct mutual exchanges. That is why I think that we must carry out more mutual exchanges amongst us. Until now there have been various factors that have resulted in a not very good situation being maintained in the feelings of the peoples of Japan and China. Therefore I think it is important to conduct mutual exchanges in order to get rid of that and to foster good feelings on both sides. Seen from a historical perspective, I think that relations between Japan and China were not as bad the relations that existed previously between Germany and France. That is why, if we make various efforts, I believe that the 21st century can be an era of East Asia.
Regarding the Japan-US Alliance, although I cannot say that it will be for ever and ever, I am absolutely certain that there is a need to maintain the Japan-US Alliance over a long period of time. When the relations between two sides get closer and closer over time, various issues appear. Even if we take a look at the Japan-US Alliance, we see that the Japan-US Security Treaty is a treaty with mutual but asymmetric obligations, and therefore these relations will not function unless both sides respectively consider how much of a burden they are imposing on their respective counterpart. If that happens, good relations cannot be carried out. There was a time in the United States when some people put forward the view that the Japan-US Security Treaty is a handout. Around that time, I was serving as the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Defense. At that time I talked about just how much of a burden was required in order to maintain military bases of a foreign nation within an independent country. On the other hand, we for our part must give thought to how incredibly difficult it must be to send members of the younger generation of your people to a foreign country with the knowledge that in some cases they may need to shed blood for that country. I think that if each side only thinks about its own matters and each side only thinks about what it is getting out of the deal, then it will be very difficult to maintain an alliance. There are some people who take the view that Japan is paying a lot of money for host nation support of the US military forces in Japan, but even if one includes that large sum of money in the total expenses that Japan allocates for its defense, then it is still less than 1% of GDP. In Northeast Asia, where one cannot totally say that the Cold War structure has completely collapsed, we must employ a broader perspective that we are able to maintain peace and security. Judged from commonsense standards around the world, Japan has gotten by with an extremely low level of defense expenditure. If one focuses only on the smaller details, then it will perhaps exert a negative influence on the overall structure from which Japan benefits.
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