(* 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 Seiji Maehara

Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 5:09 p.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room

Main topics:

Opening Remarks
- (1) Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- (2) Visit to Japan by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty
- (3) Visit to Japan by Minister of External Relations Chicoty of the Republic of Angola
- (4) The First Issuance of Visa for Medical Stay
Northern Territories Issue
Realignment of US Military Force
Domestic Political Situation (Omitted)
Visit to Japan by South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-Hwan
Third-country Resettlement Program

1. Opening Remarks

(1) Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Minister Maehara: I have four announcements.
The first announcement is that a Cabinet decision was made on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and India at the Cabinet meeting this morning. Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Sharma and I will sign the agreement tomorrow.

(2) Visit to Japan by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty

Minister: My second announcement is that Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty is scheduled to visit Japan for two days to hold the first Japan-Indonesia Foreign Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue with me on the 17th and the 18th of February. Although he was initially scheduled to visit Japan in early February, his visit was postponed in the wake of the growing tension in Egypt, and he had to deal with the situation of several thousand Indonesian students who reside in Egypt.

(3) Visit to Japan by Minister of External Relations Chicoty of the Republic of Angola

Minister: My third announcement is that Minister of External Relations Chicoty of the Republic of Angola in southern Africa will visit Japan as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the 20th through the 23rd of February. In addition to holding foreign minister’s meetings with me, he is scheduled to engage in such activities as visiting relevant institutions and exchanging views with officials of private enterprises during his stay in Japan.
Incidentally, along with Nigeria, Angola is the largest oil-producing country in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a resource-rich country with abundant mineral resources, including diamonds, with which Angola ranks fourth in the world in terms of production. In addition, it is a country with strong demand for infrastructure as development progresses under a national reconstruction program following the end of the
civil war in 2002. I will promot economic diplomacy, as well as cooperative friendly relations with Angola.

(4) The First Issuance of Visa for Medical Stay

Minister: Finally, as I mentioned at my press conference on December 17 last year that we would launch a medical stay visa system starting in January this year, the first of such visa was issued yesterday at our embassy in Shanghai. We hope that as many foreign nationals as possible will apply for this visa from now on so that they can gain access to our services and Japanese advanced medical technology.

2. Northern Territories Issue

Saito, Kyodo News: I would like to ask a question concerning the Northern Territories issues. As a dispatch from Moscow, a number of Japanese news media, including us, have reported that the Government of Russia intends to accept third-country investment in the Northern Territories -- specifically, that a basic agreement has been concluded there regarding investment by a Chinese fisheries company in Dalian. Please tell us whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed this, whether it has made inquiries into the facts, and whether it plans to take any kind of governmental action, including lodging a complaint against this.

Minister: Although I am aware of the press reports, I have not confirmed it. In any case, I stated during a joint press conference that as the Northern Territories are our inherent territory, if the press reports should be true, it would be totally unacceptable. Japan's position will not change at all.

Saito, Kyodo News: While visiting Moscow, you held talks with Naryshkin, Chief of the Presidential Administration of Russia. With regard to the talks, the Russian side has carried a substantial amount of reportage on the chief's comments through press agencies in Russia, and the Japanese media have also carried this report, citing the Russian sources. As you are aware of the details, my understanding is that the chief, as a matter of fact, took up Prime Minister Kan's remarks and stated to the effect that if such remarks continue, it would become meaningless to hold territorial negotiations in the future.
How did you respond to this again? Although we have some material distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here, please tell us once again in your own words how you refuted such a statement on the spot.

Minister: Firstly, Foreign Minister Lavrov and I confirmed that we would continue to hold negotiations in the future based on various agreements and documents concluded between the two countries, as well as law and justice. Therefore, regardless of whatever comments are made, that stance will be completely upheld by the two countries.
At the same time, while it is true that Mr. Naryshkin made such a comment, I conveyed my view that it was extremely regrettable for a high-ranking government official to make comments on such territorial issue as Russia intends to continue to control the Northern Territories in the future as its own territory, or that high-ranking government officials, including the head of state, repeatedly visit the Northern Territories. I told Mr. Naryshkin that the Prime Minister's remarks represented the feelings of many Japanese people.

Saito, Kyodo News: With regard to Prime Minister Kan's remarks, which you just mentioned, I believe that there are mixed views within Japan concerning the Prime Minister's description of President Medvedev's visit to the Northern Territories as an “unforgivable outrage”. However, I feel that the point here is that there naturally must be a good reason for the Prime Minister to make such a strong remark. In other words, with regard to the question of whether, from a historical perspective, the Northern Territories are under illegal occupation by Russia, there is a view that such a strong remark came out precisely because Northern Territories are actually under illegal occupation.. Please tell us once again your candid view on this point.

Minister: It is just as I have stated so far.

Shimizu, Fuji Television: My question concerns the Northern Territories. Last week, Russia spelled out plans to strengthen its military forces in the Northern Territories, and there is talk about deployment of amphibious assault ships or the building of an airport for military use. As you visited Russia over the weekend, please tell us once again what you think about moves by the Russian side toward a military buildup.

Minister: I cannot comment on that, since it is not us to represent the intentions of the Russian side. Regardless of what kind of military buildup there may or may not be, or whoever goes there, there is no change at all in the legal assessment that the Northern Territories are inherent Japanese territory.

Nagai, Nihon Keizai Shimbun: During your visit to Russia, Foreign Minister Lavrov proposed setting up an experts' committee on historical issues, and you expressed a negative view on that, saying that it was not a very meaningful idea. While you have often said that the Northern Territories are inherent Japanese territory from a historical perspective, and there are views that there is some kind of significance in bringing the two countries' perceptions of historical issues into alignment. Please tell us why you expressed a negative view.

Minister: If you need documents on this, we will give them to you, and although I do not know whether this is carried on our website, there is a compilation that has been done in the past by both the Japanese and Russian foreign ministries. In other words, since there is a compilation of legal and historical developments summarized by both the Japanese and Russian foreign ministers, there should be no need to do this over again. With this thought in mind, I stated that there is no need for consultations by historians, pointing out that a compilation already exists.
If you need the documents, I will have the Russian Division hand them out to you, although I do not know how many copies we still have.

Yamamoto, Sekai Nippo: Although you mentioned that you stated during the negotiations that Prime Minister Kan's remarks represented the feelings of the Japanese people, there, as it was pointed earlier, exists mixed views (in Japan), and whereas some people point out that there are views that the campaign by the Russian side for the return of the Northern Territories has not necessarily intensified. Amid these circumstances, you said that the Prime Minister's remarks represented the view of the Japanese. Please tell us what your actual feelings were when you made this statement.

Minister: To begin with, the Northern Territories are inherent Japanese territory in terms of history and international law. I believe that it is an indisputable fact that many Japanese people feel indignant at visits by high-ranking Russian government officials or the head of state to this inherent Japanese territory.

3. Realignment of US Military Force

Inada, NHK: I have a question related to Okinawa. It has been reported that last weekend, former Prime Minister Hatoyama said in an interview with a local Okinawa newspaper that bringing out the concept of deterrence when creating the Japan-US agreement of May 28th was an expedient.
You have been deeply involved with the Futenma issue as Minister of State for Okinawa and the Northern Territories Affairs in the former administration, and current Minister of Foreign Affairs. Please tell us your reaction to a person who was a country's Prime Minister saying that the need to demand that decision of Okinawa was an expedient. Please also tell us the effect of this statement on the Futenma issue.

Minister: The deterrence provided by the US Forces in Japan and the Japan-US alliance is essential for the security of Japan and the region. As the whole Japan, we must be deeply grateful to Okinawa Prefecture, which has taken on about three fourths of this presence, and bears this deterrent force. s. At the same time, to the fact that politics to date have asked Okinawa to bear an excessive burden and also to the fact that while the Democratic party of Japan mentioned the destination of relocating MCAS Futenma as “outside the country, or outside the prefecture at least” in the last House of Representative elections, we were in the end asking for relocation to Henoko, I would like to honestly apologize again.
It is an undisputable fact, however, that the presence of the US Forces, and the presence of facility zones in accordance with Article 6 of the Japan-US Security Treaty, play an important role in the stability of this region, and the security of Japan. Although I am not in the position to know the intention of former Prime Minister Hatoyama's statement, I think that the deterrence of the US Forces is constant and does not change at all, be it may in the time of Hatoyama premiership or now.

Inada, NHK: How about deterrence?

Minister: I am not aware of the intention of someone served as a Prime Minister. Therefore, I have not ascertained it. However, what I can say for certain is that the deterrence of the US Forces was extremely important during the Hatoyama administration as well, and I do not think that this has changed at all.

Inafuku, Ryukyu Shimpo: I believe that yesterday, you received a request from an Urasoe City Council Group to separate Camp Kinser. Amid this, I believe that you explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and Cabinet have started negotiations with the United States. I was later told by the Minister of Defense and the Chief Cabinet Secretary that discussions had not yet gone that far, denying what you said. What is the cause of this difference of views? Please tell us your views on this.

Minister: Yes, we are discussing it.

Inafuku, Ryukyu Shimpo: To confirm, negotiations with the United States have started, is this correct?

Minister: We have also received a request from Governor Nakaima, and we are discussing this in accordance with the agreement of May 28th.

Inafuku, Ryukyu Shimpo: Do the Ministry of Defense and Cabinet share the same view?

Minister: Yes, because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense are the ones who are negotiating.

Yamamoto, Sekainippo: I asked my question in the context that Former Prime Minister Hatoyama's statement was somewhat disappointing, given the fact that during the tenure of Foreign Minister Okada, Prime Minister Hatoyama said that the more he studied deterrence, the more he understood the necessity with regard to the US Forces. At that time, Foreign Minister Okada's answer seemed to indicate his understanding of the need for deterrence at that stage, and you have indicated something similar to that in your explanations, so, shall I say, your actual impression at that time, or the fact that he understood the need for deterrence at that time, actually seemed somewhat out of place. As I think that this is not impossible at this time, please tell us your honest impression, or reaction.

Minister: It is my understanding that what he meant when he made that statement was that although he had understood the meaning of deterrence, he deepened his understandings.

Maeda, Okinawa Times: Camp Kinser was just mentioned. I believe that when Urasoe Mayor (Gima) came yesterday, he asked for the return of all facilities. May I understand that what you said was that negotiations to return a prioritized portion in accordance with the Japan-US agreement of May 28th had begun? Also, a parachute drop training exercise will be held at Kadena Air Base tomorrow. This is reportedly the fifth time such training has been held since the reversion of Okinawa. It is our understanding that such parachute drop training exercises were to be relocated to Iejima Auxiliary Airfield under SACO (the Special Action Committee on Okinawa). Please tell us your understanding of each of these matters.

Minister: With regard to the latter, I will have my staff provide an answer after checking how it happened.
Next, with regard to Camp Kinser, although the agreement of May 28th actually limits discussion of Camp Kinser to the Makiminato Service Area, we have received a request from Governor Nakaima to return all of the Camp Kinser first. We have a roadmap, and although the US side refers to following this roadmap as a package, and I am not sure to what degree negotiations with the United States will get them to agree to this separation, we will convey the requests of Okinawa thoroughly, and negotiate with the US side.

(Supplementary explanation)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs understands that the US Forces have scheduled a parachute drop training exercise at Kadena Air Base from 10:00 AM until noon, February 16th.
Although Iejima Auxiliary Airfield is essentially to be used for parachute drop training exercises in accordance with the SACO final report of 1996, it has conventionally been the understanding of the Japanese and US governments that Kadena Air Base could be used for non-periodic, small-scale drop training exercises in exceptional cases where the use of Iejima Auxiliary Airfield was not feasible, due to restrictions of natural conditions or the like. In fact, four drop exercises have been conducted at Kadena Air Base since the SACO final report.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received an explanation from the US side that the current training exercise will also be conducted at Kadena Air Base as an exception only, and the Japanese side told the U.S. side to give appropriate consideration to public safety, and to continue to conduct this training at Iejima Auxiliary Airfield in principle in the future as well.

4. Domestic Political Situation (Omitted)

Omitted

5. Visit to Japan by South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-Hwan

Nishigaki, Jiji Press: South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-Hwan is to visit Japan starting tomorrow. How do you position the upcoming meeting? As a preliminary meeting for South-North high-level military talks was held the other day, taking such matters into consideration, what kind of discussions do you intend to hold this time?

Minister: There are three pillars. The first one is how to promote Japan-South Korea relations itself. While last year marked the 100th anniversary of Japan's annexation of Korea, one of the pillars is to confirm further promoting Japan-South Korea relations in various areas with this year as the start of another 100 years of the bilateral relations.
The second pillar is to further confirm the cooperative relations between Japan and South Korea, as well as among Japan, the United States, and South Korea. I believe that it is important for us to work together on such matters as the issue of North Korea's nuclear development program, missiles, and -- as for the issue related to Japan -- the abduction issue, and learn about how South Korea views the current state of South-North talks, and at the same time, confirm such bilateral and trilateral cooperation.
The third pillar is one in which I am particularly interested. I think that in order to further expand the cooperative relations in the economic sphere, I would like to call for an early start of the negotiations on a Japan-South Korea EPA -- to call for such things, following my recent visit to South Korea.

Sakai, Sankei Shimbun: In connection with the visit to Japan tomorrow by the South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, February 22 is Takeshima Day and the DPJ's Diet members are to participate for the first time in a ceremony hosted by the prefectural government. Amid high interest in the territorial issue, does Japan have any plans to hold discussions with South Korea on the Takeshima issue? In addition, as South Korea's occupation of Takeshima is described as an illegal occupation on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please tell us about your basic understanding regarding Takeshima.

Minister: During talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-Hwan in the past, I have always firmly stated Japan's position concerning Takeshima, and I believe that I will be making references to that this time, as well.

6. Third-country Resettlement Program

Nishinaka, Freelance: I have a question about United Nations diplomacy, regarding the Third-country Resettlement Program. At the end of September of last year, 27 people came to Japan, and in early March, the six-month project will be concluded, and these individuals will spread out across Japan and begin to live independently. I have met with several of these individuals. Some of them command poor Japanese. Given the current economic recession, some of them might not find work. I think that it is extremely cruel to expect them to go out and live independently under these conditions. I think that the Government of Japan originally started this pilot project with the presumption that it would accept refugees from refugee camps and the like in addition to those on the border between Burma [sic Myanmar] and Thailand, as requested by the United Nations, rather than ending this effort with the three-year pilot plan. Additionally, this was approved at a 2008 Cabinet meeting; this plan has been proceeding in accordance with a Cabinet approval before the Democratic Party of Japan government took over. Please tell us, with regard to the current resettlement, if you intend to further revise the policy's standing for these 30 individuals, and the acceptance of other refugees starting next year.

Minister: As you pointed out, we have externally announced that we will accept about 30 people per year from Myanmar, and we have accepted the first group. Since this is only a pilot plan, I think that we must learn from this how to provide good support to these individuals, and how to create conditions that enable them to live independently in Japan, and we must also learn a lot over this three-year period. In principle, I think that in the future, we should actually open the doors more widely. It would be bad for both the incoming people and us, however, if we simply allow in more numbers, without a system in place to accept refugees and follow on with proper support when they are here. I think that we must use this pilot plan, and build up experience, to learn how to follow up, and provide good support in order to provide them with prospects for the future.

Nishinaka, Freelance: In the case of Burma [sic Myanmar], I think that using even a portion of the ODA sent to the Burmese [sic Myanmar] military junta for supporting refugees in Japan would enable something approaching the system for protecting refugees advocated by the Democratic Party of Japan; do your intentions include revising the budget in order to provide support in accordance with their living situation, even after six months have passed?

Minister: These individuals have decided to come and live in Japan amid difficult circumstances. I also think that it is important for us as a nation, having decided to take responsibility for accepting them, to provide appropriate and timely support, with a wide range of follow-up.

Nishinaka, Freelance: Do you have the same view for refugees who fled to Japan on their own means?

Minister: Yes.

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