(* 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: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 9:39 a.m.
Place: In front of the Ministers' Room in the House

Main topics:

Representative of the Government of Japan Shotaro Yachi's Comment Regarding the Northern Territories
Launch of a Rocket by the Republic of Korea

1. Representative of the Government of Japan Shotaro Yachi's Comment Regarding the Northern Territories

Question:
Regarding your telephone call with Representative Mr. Shotaro Yachi yesterday, it is heard that there was a misunderstanding. About which part was there a misunderstanding?

Minister:
I talked with Mr. Yachi yesterday and he said that within the overall interview, he may have given a misleading remark, and that it was regrettable that he may have given the wrong impression to those involved. It is not good at all to give a misleading remark to the public, the interviewers or others concerned, so I issued a strong reprimand. It was not a matter of a certain part, but a matter of the overall interview.

Question:
Would identifying which part was misleading be problematic in that it will have repercussions in the future?

Minister:
I do not know of every individual remark made. However, Mr. Yachi regrets having given a misleading or possibly misleading remark, and I reprimanded him on this point. I have no intention of looking into which exact part it was.

Question:
Will Mr. Yachi continue to be involved in Japan-Russia negotiations?

Minister:
I have issued a strict reprimand and Mr. Yachi himself has expressed his regret, so I plan to have him continue with his work.

Question:
I believe Mr. Yachi will come back to Japan today. Do you have any plans to meet with him today?

Minister:
No, I do not. I have already talked to him on the phone.

Question:
Do you have any plans to meet and talk to him directly?

Minister:
I do not intend to.

Question:
In an official statement by the Mainichi Shimbun, it was stated that the remarks made by Mr. Yachi were recorded with his permission and that the article was written based on the recording. If this is true, I believe that there is the possibility that Mr. Yachi is lying. Do you have any intention of questioning him on this?

Minister:
What I have heard from Mr. Yachi is that he did not state that the return of three and a half islands may be acceptable. There may be two sides to the story; however, I do not know the details. As Mr. Yachi is stating that he did not make such a remark, and that he may have made a misleading remark, I issued the reprimand for making a remark that may have been misleading.

Question:
So you believe Mr. Yachi's statement?

Minister:
Regarding the remark, it is not a matter of whether I believe Mr. Yachi or Mainichi Shimbun. After receiving a report on this matter, I issued a reprimand because, as a result of this issue, a misunderstanding occurred.

Question:
Clearly, there is a difference in what the two sides are stating. Mr. Yachi himself stated that he did not make the remark and Mainichi Shimbun reported that he did.

Minister:
I do not know the way in which the newspaper interviewed Mr. Yachi. If it was an interview, they might have recorded it. I have not heard directly from the newspaper, nor have I questioned them regarding every single remark that was made. As I believe that it is my job to hear from Mr. Yachi, a representative of the Japanese Government, regarding this matter, I issued a severe reprimand.

Question:
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yabunaka, stated yesterday regarding this issue that "it was detrimental to national interests" and that "it caused huge repercussions." If this is the case, isn't there a need to make a thorough confirmation of the situation?

Minister:
The Japanese Government's policy that the issue of the attribution of the Northern Territories should be resolved and that a Japan-Russia Peace Treaty should be concluded has not changed. The Chief Cabinet Secretary said this yesterday and I have also stated it. Since there is no change in the Government's policy, I do not believe there is any problem regarding national interests.

Question:
Regarding the Prime Minister's understanding of this matter, about your issuing of a severe reprimand to Mr. Yachi; is it also the Prime Minister's understanding that Mr. Yachi's remark was one that warranted a reprimand as well?

Minister:
I would have to ask the Prime Minister to know that.

Question:
You have not made any confirmation?

Minister:
No, I have not.

Question:
I believe you just met with the Prime Minister. Did this issue come up?

Minister:
We had a meeting regarding a visit to the People's Republic of China by the Prime Minister.

Question:
If it is the case that Mr. Yachi's remark may have been misleading, wouldn't the Prime Minister's remark about two islands or four islands also be considered misleading as well?

Minister:
Mr. Yachi's was explaining about the land area and there may have been a misunderstanding in the overall interview.

Question:
If there was a remark that was misleading, will you request or demand that the Mainichi Shimbun set the record straight?

Minister:
I believe that this issue is between Mr. Yachi and the Mainichi Shimbun, and that it is not something for me to comment on.

2. Launch of a Rocket by the Republic of Korea

Question:
There have been media reports that the Republic of Korea will launch a rocket in July and that it will pass through Japan's territorial airspace. Please give us the facts regarding this.

Minister:
We are conducting unofficial Japan-ROK consultations and I believe there will be no problems regarding this, including safety problems.

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