(* 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 Katsuya Okada

Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 5:30 p.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room

Main topics:

Opening Statements
- (1) Distribution of the 2010 Diplomatic Bluebook at the Cabinet Meeting
- (2) Emergency Grant Aid to Haiti for Earthquake Disaster
- (3) Setup of Investigating Committee on Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents
Setup of Investigating Committee on Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents
Execution in China of Japanese Nationals Convicted of Drug Smuggling
US Military Realignment Issue
United States Nuclear Policy
Suspected Kidnapping of Japanese Journalist in Afghanistan
Publication of Information (Sunagawa Case)
Investigations Concerning the So-called “Secret Agreement” Issue
Visit to California, United States
Telephone Conference with US Secretary of State Clinton
Assistance for Photo Exhibit in Okinawa

1. Opening Statements

(1) Distribution of the 2010 Diplomatic Bluebook at the Cabinet Meeting

Foreign Minister Okada: I have three announcements. The first is that the Diplomatic Bluebook 2010 was distributed at today’s cabinet meeting. I believe that I do not have to brief you on this in particular, as you should already have been notified.

(2) Emergency Grant Aid to Haiti for Earthquake Disaster

Minister: The second is that a decision was made on emergency grant aid to Haiti for the earthquake disaster at today’s cabinet meeting. The Japanese Government decided to provide emergency grant aid up to 22.6 million US dollars, or approximately 2.124 billion yen, as additional aid to Haiti. The additional aid is part of the aid package totaling 100 million US dollars that I announced at an international donors’ conference for Haiti held on March 31 in New York. Japan plans to cooperate with international organizations and quickly implement this aid package in the areas of shelter construction and health and medical care.

(3) Setup of Investigating Committee on Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents

Minister: The third concerns the setup of the Investigating Committee on the Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents. As you can see in the papers that have been passed out to you, we set up the Investigating Committee on the Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents today. We set up this committee to investigate and confirm the facts with regard to the issue of missing diplomatic documents, which has been pointed out in such instances as a report recently publicized by the Expert Committee on the so-called secret agreements or during the questioning of unsworn witnesses at a session of the Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The committee consists of four members. In addition to me and State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Takemasa, we had Professor Uga of the University of Tokyo and Professor Hatano of the University of Tsukuba join us to ensure that our investigations are conducted in a professional and objective manner. Professor Uga is an expert on administrative laws and the leading authority especially in the areas of management of public documents and information disclosure. Professor Hatano is a member of the Expert Committee on the issue of secret agreements. He is extremely knowledgeable about the handling of diplomatic documents.
I would like for them to serve as advisers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and engage in the duties of the committee as part-time public servants who have a confidentiality obligation. In the future, while relying on their specialized knowledge, we intend to promptly report on the results of our investigations through such activities as interviewing concerned parties, upon carefully examining such matters as the Expert Committee’s report and the questioning of unsworn witnesses.

2. Setup of Investigating Committee on Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents

Iwakami, freelance: With regard to the Investigating Committee on the Issue of Missing Diplomatic Documents, which you just talked about, I feel that this committee will be doing supplementary investigation on matters that were missing from the recent Expert Committee’s report. Please tell us about the position of the committee in that respect, its relation to the Expert Committee, and the difference between them, given that the members of the Expert Committee are not included here and other persons were selected as members instead.

Minister: The Expert Committee was set up to clear up the issue of secret agreements on the basis of material concerning secret agreements examined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This committee, however, has a completely different character. While it has been pointed out during meetings of the Expert Committee as well, there have been indications that diplomatic documents may be missing. This committee will conduct investigations into the facts with regard to that matter.

Iwakami, freelance: Why is there no overlap in membership?

Minister: That is because the two committees are completely different. While Professor Hatano belongs to both committees, we had Professor Uga, who is an expert on information disclosure, join this committee.

Beppu, NHK: I imagine that in the investigation it would be extremely difficult to prove something that is not there. For example, even if a document were properly disposed of, I believe that with regard to the records of disposed documents logs, those in which the period of preservation of those logs has expired are also being included as subjects of the investigations. As a matter of fact, can you expect to get any indications or material evidence other than the testimonies that can be gained from hearings conducted on individual persons?

Minister: Basically, I feel that it will be rather difficult. At the moment, I basically feel that the subject of our investigations is the files that former Treaties Bureau Director-General Togo has pointed out.

Sato, Tokyo Shimbun: You said “promptly”, but specifically by when do you hope to complete your investigations?

Minister: We will have to determine to what extent we must conduct hearings as we go along. Therefore, I think it is rather difficult at the moment to talk about a specific timetable. I do not think this will take as long as six months or a year.

Sato, Tokyo Shimbun: With regard to what has been pointed out at the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the committee chairman has said that the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for its part, would like to think about summoning Mr. Yachi upon watching this investigation. Please tell us about the how the Committee on Foreign Affairs will be moving on and its relation to this investigation, including a rough timetable.

Minister: While I think that the Committee on Foreign Affairs will work things out on the basis of its own judgment, I believe that this is an internal affair of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore, I feel that it is necessary that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should investigate the matter properly.

Ukai, Asahi Shimbun: You just briefly touched on this, but with regard to former Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yachi, who was Mr. Togo’s successor, is it all right for us to understand that Mr. Yachi will be interviewed?

Minister: I will not talk about anything specific. I plan to make an announcement after the investigations have been completed.

Iwakami, freelance: You said that the missing files mentioned by former Treaties Bureau Director-General Togo will be subject to the investigations. The people to be interviewed have been narrowed down, and I believe they are Mr. Togo, or perhaps Mr. Yachi, and the people around them. Is there a possibility that you will be personally interviewing them, or since you are busy, will someone else be interviewing them?

Minister: I will not say who will be doing the interviews. Additionally, the committee will be doing the interviews, and I am a member of the committee.

3. Execution in China of Japanese Nationals Convicted of Drug Smuggling

Saito, Kyodo News: My question is about executions in China. So far, the Government of Japan has repeatedly expressed concern ever since the matter was notified in advance, but now an execution has actually taken place. Please tell us whether the Government of Japan intends to take some kind of action in the future against the Chinese Government, which has conducted the execution, or how the Government of Japan feels about the latest execution.

Minister: As I have repeatedly said, it is basically a matter of a country’s legislative policy to determine what kind of penalty to impose on what kind of act, and a specific judicial issue. Therefore, we are not making any kind of objection to that matter itself, in the first place. However, what is being said at the moment, now that the executions are going to be carried out, is that there are all together four persons (being executed). Our intention is to convey the concern that if this takes place in a short period of time, it would be quite disturbing viewed from the sensibilities of the Japanese people.
I feel that it is very regrettable that an execution was carried out this time.

Saito, Kyodo News: This is for confirmation, but in any case, the Government of Japan has so far expressed concern in various forms. For example, I have heard that Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua was called over here recently and received a briefing on Japan’s position. After this, Japan received notification once again – this time, an advance notice concerning the execution of three persons – although the executions have not been carried out yet. Since this is of course a matter concerning China’s jurisdiction and sovereignty, I understand that it would be difficult to actually ask that the executions be halted. Please tell us whether, amid this situation, there is a possibility that the Government of Japan may once again send a message in some form, or in other words, reiterate its position.

Minister: I already called over the ambassador the other day and expressed our concern.

Niibori, Asahi Shimbun: Cases involving Japanese nationals in overseas drug-related criminal incidents keep recurring. Amid this situation, I would like to request that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which oversees the safety of Japanese nationals abroad, call the attention of the Japanese people, or in other words, send them a heads-up message reminding them that there are countries that impose such severe penalties.

Minister: I did talk about that in my previous press conference. Drug-related crimes are extremely serious crimes for not only Japan, but also for the international community. There are many countries that impose very severe penalties, including capital punishment, to cope with these crimes. China is not the only country that does so. As I mentioned during my previous press conference, Singapore and many other countries impose severe penalties, including capital punishment. I sincerely hope that Japanese citizens fully understand this point and avoid getting involved or drawn into such crimes in the future.

Kajiwara, NHK: With regard to the latest execution, is your evaluation that China went through due process?

Minister: Basically, I cannot make any comments on a country’s judicial process unless we clearly have counter evidence. I think this holds true for Japan as well.

Kajiwara, NHK: I believe that you cannot make any comments about legislative policy or punishment, since they are issues involving sovereignty. However, I feel that Japan needs to closely examine at least whether the judicial procedures were proper. If this is not clear at this point, do you have any intention to examine the matter to a certain extent?

Minister: I have heard that among these cases, three persons have voluntarily admitted the facts of their crimes.

Yoshinaga, Mainichi Shimbun: Let me make a confirmation. Is it that the Government of Japan has not taken any kind of action toward China in response to the latest execution, or if it has done so, what has it done? For example, did the Government of Japan express concern once again in one way or another?

Minister: If you were present at the previous press conference, I am sure that you would naturally know about it, but I called over the (Chinese) ambassador last Friday and expressed concern that the Japanese people have mixed feelings about the matter.

Kawasaki, Yomiuri Shimbun: Is it all right to understand that you do not intend to take any kind of action toward China over the execution carried out today, considering that you called over the ambassador last week and you personally conveyed your opinion?

Minister: I said that it was regrettable.

Kawasaki, Yomiuri Shimbun: Let me make a confirmation. Does what you just said mean that you said that during the press conference, or did you mean that you conveyed your thoughts to the Chinese Government through diplomatic channels? Which is it?

Minister: While I do not think that there will be any more than this, I called over the ambassador and expressed Japan’s concern over the feelings of the Japanese people. That was not about the latest execution. I called over the ambassador because we received notification that the execution of three more persons would be carried out.

Iwakami, freelance: In this connection, I would like to make a confirmation about the accurate meaning of words. What are you referring to when something becomes a concern? Given that in respect of judicial systems of various countries, a protest was not lodged or a concern was not expressed over the fact that there is capital punishment in China, do you have any doubts about the charges (pressed against the Japanese nationals)? If not, then on what points did you express concern? Given that there is nothing that can be done about the executions themselves, was your concern over such matters as the speed at which the executions were to be carried out? Please tell us about these points.

Minister: That is about what I spoke during the previous press conference. As I spoke in detail then, I expressed concern that the fact that executions are to be carried out in succession in this way will affect public opinion -- the Japanese people will have mixed feelings about it.

Saito, Kyodo News: My question related to the same issue. With regard to the latest series of executions, China, for one thing, has given advance notice to the Japanese side. Additionally, as for the person whose execution has been carried out, the members of his family were able to see him. Moreover, Xinhua News Agency released a report today immediately after the execution was carried out, publicizing the relevant facts. I have the impression that this case was handled somewhat differently from other executions carried out in China. What is your opinion on whether China took some sort of action by giving due consideration to Japan, or in other words, in consideration of the importance of current Japanese-Chinese relations?

Minister: You have to ask the Chinese Government about that, as I am not in the position to make comments based on speculation. However, I imagine that perhaps they were also concerned.

Yoshinaga, Mainichi Shimbun: Do you feel that the fact that the execution was carried out despite your conveying concern will cause some kind of adverse effects on Japanese-Chinese relations?

Minister: I feel that there is a possibility that this may affect Japanese public opinion in some way. That is precisely why I conveyed our concern.

Iwakami, Freelance: In relation to my earlier question, I am sorry to have asked a question that trips you up, but you said that you had concerns over the death penalty being carried out in succession. Was the intention of expressing your concern then that there be some time between executions, rather than carrying them out in succession? Or is the problem not that they are carried out in succession, but that you wanted the other party to give consideration for some other aspect?

Minister: I have not said anything concrete like that. I expressed my concerns that putting four people to death over a short period of time could have an adverse impact on national sentiment. I said nothing more or less than that.

Saito, Kyodo News: With reference to the issue of the death penalty in China, there is a background that in December of last year, Prime Minister Brown of the UK personally criticized China's handling. I would first like to confirm whether you are aware of this fact. Next, I understand that the UK has already abolished its death penalty. Although it is probably not possible to know without asking the UK if the UK's response was different from Japan's particularly because it has abolished the death penalty, viewing it from the outside, it would in fact appear that the responses of the UK and Japan have been different. I would like to hear your views on whether this difference was due to the differences in the two countries' death penalty systems.

Minister: I believe that one thing for certain is that the British government communicated to the Chinese government was that it does not approve of the death penalty. Countries that do not approve of the death penalty will criticize the death penalty in countries that still have one, and this includes Japan. Since they have eliminated theirs, they criticize the systems that remain. Another point is that since they do not have a death penalty, citizens of that country can be executed in foreign countries, despite the fact that they would not be executed in their own countries.
As I remember it, I believe that there was also certainly an aspect that they felt that the individual was mentally unstable, and that this should have been taken into account as to the circumstances of the crime.

4. US Military Realignment Issue

Noguchi, Mainichi Newspapers: This is regarding the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. This was also taken up by the House of Representatives' Security Committee today, but the Mainichi Newspaper has reported a statement by US Marine Corps Forces Pacific Commander Stalder with regard to the role of the marines stationed in Okinawa, to the effect that in the case of a collapse of North Korea, swift removal of its nuclear weapons is their most critical task. Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Nagashima has confirmed that the government is aware of this. Although I believe that the Marines must have a variety of roles, if their most critical task is responding to North Korea, then it can be argued that it need not be in Okinawa, but in West Japan or Kyushu, which are geographically close to North Korea. What are your thoughts on this point?

Minister: Firstly, I have not confirmed this statement. Next, within the environment surrounding Japan, I think that response to North Korea is a very critical theme, but I suppose that he was not actually saying that this is their only task.

Tsuruoka, Asahi Shimbun: You responded at that same committee meeting today that the government will release a plan by the end of May. Is it the government's intention to convene the Basic Policy Cabinet Committee and decide on a government plan at the end of May?

Minister: My reply has always been that the end of May is when the government will create and decide on a final plan.

Inoue, Kyodo News: This is in relation to Futenma. You stated that moving forward, it would be necessary to explain the current situation to the United States, and hold working-level consultations based on this; you also said that since you had just communicated this to Ambassador Roos, you believed that it probably would not be discussed in detail during your visit to the US, and that in fact it was not. Please tell us the outlook at the present stage for working-level discussions moving forward, and when they will start.

Minister: I am doing this as appropriate, but I would like to avoid speaking about the specific details.

Takimoto, Ryukyu Shimpo: This is regarding Futenma. On the 25th of this month, a rally will be held in Okinawa by local residents, and the people of Okinawa are to express their opposition to a relocation within the prefecture with the slogan, "Out of the prefecture, out of the country." Firstly, please tell us how you view this rally by Okinawan residents to be held, which I believe to be an indicator the will of the people.

Minister: I recognize that residents of Okinawa have gathered in a rally to express their view that (Futenma) should be moved out of the prefecture or out of the country.

Takimoto, Ryukyu Shimpo: Following up, I believe that the import of your choice of words just now is that people who desire a relocation outside the prefecture or outside the country participate, but there is general agreement within Okinawa, at a wide range of stages and levels, to demand a relocation outside the prefecture. For example, when the Governor of Okinawa traveled to Tokyo and met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano and Defense Minister Kitazawa, he communicated the public opinion in Okinawa, namely that the demands within Okinawa for a relocation outside the prefecture and so on are growing more energetic; or as you are aware, the prefectural assembly agreed unanimously to demand a relocation outside the prefecture, and the Okinawa Mayors' Association has also demanded a relocation outside the prefecture. What are your views on why, amidst these circumstances, a rally for Okinawan residents need to be held in order to express the will of the people, or why the residents of Okinawa feel motivated to hold such a rally?

Minister: That is a difficult question. If you are asking about the feelings of the people who held the rally, of course I think that people, who want to express their wills clearly, gathered together and held a rally.

Noguchi, J-CAST News: Prime Minister Hatoyama said that he had a plan in mind regarding Futenma, and you have said that there is a consensus within the government. Even if the government actually has a plan in mind, how will the United States react to it? For example, in terms of base functions, some are saying that it will be relocated to Tokunoshima, but there may be cases in which the United States cannot accept the plan fully from a strategic standpoint, such as if the base functioning is distributed, or if it is in a single location. How will you deal with that?

Minister: I think that your question goes back to a rudimentary stage of the discussion because this is your first time participating, but as I have replied time and again in the Diet and other occasions, the five relevant cabinet ministers have a common awareness, and I would like you to understand that we are currently in the process of fleshing it out as we incrementally advance discussions with the United States and local residents.

Yamauchi, Nikkei Shimbun: Earlier, you said that the government would prepare a final plan by the end of May. Is it a prerequisite that the United States government be able to accept this plan?

Minister: As I have said before many, many times, the plan that the government decides on will have the understanding of the United States and local residents. I have said this many, many times before.

Higa, Kyodo News: This is in relation to the question just now. You stated that you would gain the understanding of the United States and local residents by the end of May, but although I will not ask specifics, with regard to the understanding of local residents, what level of understanding must be reached before you would consider that the understanding of the local residents has been gained?

Minister: It is extremely difficult to quantify. Ultimately, however, the government plans to take responsibility for the decision. This is not only a problem of relocating the base. For example, if 8,000 people were moved to Guam, and as a result the base were reverted, this would all be one action, so I believe that it would be necessary to gain understanding for that as a whole.

Inoue, Kyodo News: Going back to my earlier question, you stated that you are doing it as appropriate with the United States. Would it be correct to take from this that after you communicated your approach to Ambassador Roos, you started an exchange with the United States, and there has been some sort of reaction from the United States government regarding the approach or plan communicated by the current Japanese government?

Minister: I will not go into details.

Takimoto, Ryukyu Shimpo: Going back to the rally of prefectural residents mentioned before, you stated that people who desire (the base) out of the prefecture will hold the rally and gather together. Of course, the title of the rally states a demand for relocation outside the prefecture, so what is your view as to the degree to which this rally represents the will of the people of Okinawa? Do you think that this only indicates that a portion of people who hold this view gather together?

Minister: I have not used the expression "only indicates" at any time, so I do not think that it is appropriate for this expression to be used. I think that this was a gathering of people who wish the base to be moved outside of the prefecture, or outside the country.

5. United States Nuclear Policy

Takahashi, Asahi Shimbun: Today's New York Times says that at its interview with, President Obama, he stated that in working toward a world without nuclear weapons, (the US) will not use nuclear weapons on non-nuclear states on the precondition they are in compliance with the NPT. Firstly, please state your reaction to this statement.

Minister: I have not confirmed the New York Times article itself. For this reason, the NPR will be released shortly, so I would like to base my comments on that. As I stated before the Diet this morning, US Secretary of State Clinton has briefed me on the contents of the NPR, and this briefing was on the condition that I do not speak of it until it is released, so although we had a small amount of discussion, I would like to comment after it has actually be released.

6. Suspected Kidnapping of Japanese Journalist in Afghanistan

Hatakeyama, Freelance: I would like to ask about Kosuke Tsuneoka, who has been missing in Afghanistan since last week. At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano stated that he was aware that he had been kidnapped. At last week's press conference, you repeated that you had no comment four times, but does that status remain unchanged?

Minister: I am aware of a Japanese citizen who is missing in Afghanistan and who is also suspected of having been kidnapped.

Hatakeyama, Freelance: You say that you are aware of it; can we assume that you are refraining from further comment for humanitarian reasons?

Minister: I will not comment because it could affect the safety of a person who may be at risk of harm.

Hatakeyama, Freelance: I understand your reason for not commenting, but the fact remains that this suspicion has been reported widely by the media. What is your view on whether this information was leaked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or whether it was leaked from somewhere else?

Minister: I would like to avoid speculation. I am aware that a few people have said such a thing using electronic media.

7. Publication of Information (Sunagawa Case)

Takeuchi, Video News Dot Com: This is in relation to the Sunagawa Case. At the time of the Sunagawa Case, it was claimed that no transcript existed of the court case between Japan and the US, but on Friday last week, it was reported in the media that it was published on April 2nd. With regard to this, I would like to ask why something that until now was not supposed to exist actually existed, and the background behind where it was found, and also, if there was an actual document that until now was not supposed to exist, then I believe that this will influence the reliability the investigation by the Expert Committee into the four secret agreements, and claims by the government that documents do not exist in the lawsuit by Takichi Nishiyama and others demanding the disclosure of the so-called secret agreement on the reversion of Okinawa to Japan; what are your views on this point?

Minister: Although we had thought such items did not exist, as a result of a thorough investigation into the secret agreements, it was found that this was not the case.

8. Investigations Concerning the So-called “Secret Agreement” Issue

Naito, Mainichi Newspapers: I would like to ask about one point of the report published last month by the Expert Committee on the so-called Secret Agreements. The Okinawa reversion agreement states that Japan would pay $320 million to the United States, and the report states that this amount was reached by adding in the cost of restoring land to its original state of $4 million, and the VOA relocation cost of $16 million, to $320 million, but until now the government has not admitted that these figures were added in. Would it be correct to say that you, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, recognize that as reported by the Expert Committee, this subrogation, these additional costs were included?

Minister: I do not have the Expert Committee's report in with me now, but as it is also written there, at that time, the Government of Japan replied in the Diet to the effect that how that $320 million was used was left up to the US side. Consequently, the report does not go so far as to say whether the cost of restoration to the original state, which the US side was supposed to pay, was hidden. This is why the report used the language "secret agreements in a broad sense."

Naito, Mainichi Newspapers: So can we understand that you recognize "secret agreements in a broad sense" as written in the report.

Minister: As I have also stated many times here, the experts concluded that there were "secret agreements in a broad sense" as a result of discussions based on their expertise. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not in a position to say whether this conclusion was correct or incorrect. I believe that moving forward, there is a possibility of a wide range of debates. In fact, the Expert Committee has concluded that the third secret agreement issue, regarding bringing nuclear weapons back to Okinawa, was not a secret agreement, but a wide range of scholars have disputed this, and I welcome this kind of debate. This debate will bring more truth, or clarity, including ways of thinking, and I think it is best for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to avoid making some kind of determination. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ensured only that all the facts were made clear. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now intends to allow the interpretation of these facts to take shape through this sort of debate, rather than making some univocal determination. As of the present time, the report by the Expert Committee has interpreted these as "secret agreements in the broad sense."

Yamamoto, Sekainippo: In relation to Mr. Nishiyama, the media reported that at the press conference on March 12th, you said that Mr. Nishiyama was a talented and excellent reporter, but that he had had to leave journalism, but I was not present (at the press conference) at that time, so I do not know whether your nuance could be interpreted as allowing every forms of reporting or not. Please tell us your views relating to this issue.

Minister: I think that at the same time, one could say that there were problems with his way of reporting. And the judgment also determined this to have been the case. Putting this aside, I stated that he was talented as a journalist, and that it is a pity to me that such a person had to leave the media industry.

9. Visit to California, United States

Okawa, Freelance: I have been publishing stories in California, in the US, for six years. You recently also went to Canada, but historically governments have only gone to Washington and New York, and have always ignored California, where the largest Japanese-American community exists. As I have said many times, Japanese-American communities in the US were the first to raise their voices about the recent Toyota issue, and when the Iraq War happened, Japanese-American communities in California were the first to raise their voices and say first not to discriminate against Iraqis. If you are to hold a "Dialogue with the Foreign Minister" in Hokkaido, I would like to ask if you have plans for the same thing in California.

Minister: I also have a great deal of interest in California, but I must work within a very tight schedule, and I do not have many chances to travel unless there is a specific reason to do so. I have got to give priority to conferences, and to meetings with government people. But when I met with Secretary of State Clinton in Hawaii on January 13th, I had the opportunity for a chat with representatives of the Japanese-American community. At that time, I was able to hear from them on many different topics.

Okawa, Freelance: Governor Schwarzenegger has taken many actions that are very friendly to Japan, such as allowing the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars to drive in carpool lanes. Japanese-American communities there are continually saying that if a Minister or the Prime Minister wishes, they would volunteer to make arrangements for meeting with him. If such a request were to be made, would you consider meeting and speaking with him?

Minister: As I said, the fundamental problem is that I cannot make the time to go there. If I have the opportunity, I would definitely like to go to the west coast as well. On my return from my recent trip to Haiti, I spent the night in Miami, and I had the opportunity to see a JICA warehouse (for emergency relief supplies) there, but I did not have time for anything else. Miami is a very distinctive city, and I would have liked to have been able to spend more time there, but I was not able to do that at all. I hope that you can understand this situation, and that I can make the request if there is an opportunity.

10. Telephone Conference with US Secretary of State Clinton

Inoue, Kyodo News: This is regarding your telephone conference with Secretary of State Clinton this morning. What I would first like to confirm is whether she wanted the telephone conference to brief you on the NPR, and although you say that you cannot reveal the details of your discussion until it is released, since you have heard the details, please tell us whether this NPR will have any impact on nuclear deterrence, or on the provision of this deterrence to Japan.

Minister: It was her initiative to set this telephone conference. She wanted me to be briefed on NPR. I imagine that US briefed this through several level of its channel not just to Japan, but to other countries as well, and especially US allies. I will not speak about the content at this time. Naturally, there also was not time to explain the entire thing. I think that our conversation lasted about 15 or 20 minutes. The Secretary spoke about matters relating to the schedule, and I asked two or three questions. Secretary of State Clinton said that she learned at the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting that I was extremely interested in issues of nuclear weapons.

Inoue, Kyodo News: Could you tell us your views on whether there will be impact on nuclear deterrence?

Minister: As I said, I would like to comment once the contents have been released.

11. Assistance for Photo Exhibit in Okinawa

Takimoto, Ryukyu Shimpo: This was also mentioned at today's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee, but with relation to the exhibit of photos taken by US military personnel at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Okinawa Office – and this was also written in the reply decided on by the Cabinet – it stated that this Ministry would provide the budget (for this exhibit). Regarding the office personnel who purchased prizes for the exhibit out of their own pockets to give as awards, if this is a proper public event, then shouldn't these prizes also be purchased with public funds, and not paid for out of the pockets of the office personnel? Some have pointed out that they would feel guilty if (the office personnel) purchased prizes out of their own pockets. Why did they purchase prizes out of their own personal funds to give as awards?

Minister: I was also asked this earlier at the Diet, and I answered then. I believe it was a question from Mr. Teruya. I think that this photo exhibit was a worthwhile opportunity to enhance exchange between Okinawan residents and US military personnel. Consequently, although I think that although the budget was small, at one million yen, they used this budget to hold a series of exhibits, shall we say. Essentially, that concluded the matter, but some Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel felt that there should be prizes in addition to the awards, and so they purchased these prizes out of their own pockets. I do not think that there are any problems with this.

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