(* 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: Friday, February 25, 2011, 1:00 p.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room
Main topics:
- Opening Remarks
- (1) Earthquake in New Zealand's South Island
- (2) Third-country Resettlement Program
- Earthquake on New Zealand's South Island
- Third-country Resettlement Program
- Situation in Libya
- Democracy Movement in China Using the Internet
1. Opening Remarks
(1) Earthquake in New Zealand's South Island
Minister Maehara: I have two announcements.
The first announcement concerns New Zealand. The Government of Japan decided at today's Cabinet meeting to contribute 500,000 US dollars in contingency grant aid in response to the damage caused by the earthquake in New Zealand's South Island. We plan to implement the aid through the New Zealand Red Cross.
Those who suffered damage, as well as their families, are now in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the situation is such that survivors have not been found yet, despite rescue efforts, including those by our contingency disaster relief team, and I can imagine how agonizing it must be for the families. Considering the need to provide mental support to those families and the victims, we have decided to dispatch two experts. One of them is Dr. Kyohei Otani, a physician at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine. The other person is Atsuhiro Kosho, a medical officer assigned to the Japanese Embassy in Fiji. We have decided to send these two physicians.
(2) Third-country Resettlement Program
Minister: Next, while we had accepted 27 Myanmar refugees belonging to 5 families in the form of a third-country resettlement program, I would like to make an announcement, now that their place of employment has been decided. 12 members of 2 families and 15 members of 3 families are to engage in agriculture after mid-March in Yachimata City, Chiba Prefecture and Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, respectively. We would like to express our thanks and appreciation for the hospitality of the relevant municipalities and employers that are to accept the refugees. We hope that in coming days, the refugees will be able to lead stable, independent lives while receiving support from the relevant municipalities, employers, and the local communities. The government, for its part, intends to follow up on their living conditions and continue to provide various counseling services.
2. Earthquake on New Zealand's South Island
Inukai, Mainichi Newspapers: My question concerns the earthquake in New Zealand. In Christchurch, the building occupied by King's Education, where students of the Toyama College of Foreign Languages and others attended, was destroyed, and as of yesterday, 47 bodies have been found. What are the numbers since then, and are there any Japanese nationals among them? Also, please tell us how the searching activities are going .
Minister: As of this time, there are no announcements to make beyond what you have stated. Four persons have been identified and announced by the local police, and all of them were New Zealander nationals. We will notify you of any new information via the press secretary as it is received.
Although I spoke on the telephone earlier with Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga, there was no new information.
Takahashi, Fuji Television: Other than facts or information, did Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga convey any impressions or feelings from there, since he is in New Zealand?
Minister: It is reportedly raining there today, and the ground has become soft. He said that it was extremely unfortunate that as a result, family members could not travel to the scene of the collapse. I was told, although, that the Government of New Zealand and local police have stated concerns over secondary disaster, and in the end the family members accepted that they did not enter the area.
He also said that the 66 members of the international rescue team are in very high spirits, and they are working furiously, taking turns only after short rests. The embassy staff have also provided a great deal of support, and he expressed his gratitude to them, and commended their hadwork. He also stated in his telephone report that the Ambassador and Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga intended to visit patients in the hospital.
Tajima, Nihon Keizai Shimbun: My question is in the sense of confirmation regarding the dispatch of a government aircraft to New Zealand. In your press conference on the night of the 22nd, you stated that family members would also be on board the government aircraft, but in the end that did not happen. My first question is to ask the reason for this. Next, the Ministry of Defense stated that it had not received a formal request regarding this from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs make this request beforehand to the Ministry of Defense? Please answer these two questions.
Minister: I understand that as a reporter, you want to ask about a lot of things in detail. This earthquake struck at 8:51 in the morning of 22nd, and the request from the Government of New Zealand was received about 12 hours later.
Before that, we dispatched a three-person preliminary survey team, and asked for an international rescue team to be put on standby beforehand. Then we, including the Ministry of Defense, considered whether it would be faster to use a government aircraft, or to charter a Japan Airlines or All Nippon Airways flight, or to use a commercial flight. Since 72 hours is a critical length of time (for the rescue of survivors), the relevant ministries and agencies collaborated and cooperated well in order to figure out how to get the team to New Zealand as quickly as possible. As we tried to get the team there as quickly as possible, we were able to meet and discuss some things, and other things we were not able to coordinate. It is true that family members wanted to go to the site, and I am sorry for their disappointment that as a result, we were not able to realize what we had anticipated.
However, the overall situation was that this occurred amid efforts to coordinate overall and dispatch the international rescue team to the scene as quickly as possible. Although I definitely understand the feelings of you and your colleagues who report the facts, I would like you to ask your questions taking into account where this issue should be positioned or weighed in your evaluation of the Democratic Party of Japan.
Inada, NHK: You said earlier that Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga had told you that it was raining at the scene of the earthquake. At yesterday's meeting, Prime Minister Kan also stated that 72 hours was the critical length of time, and said that every minute and every second was precious.
What is your view of the situation now where although there was a certain time period to aim for, that has now passed? In particular, what are your feelings of the current situation, in that there have been no updates to the information from the police, after 47 bodies were found yesterday?
Minister: As I said before, the earthquake struck at 8:51 in the morning, and the advance team was sent just over 10 hours later, which is quite fast. We also asked the Ministry of Defense about the government aircraft, and they have probably been preparing without sleep or rest. The inaugural meeting was held at Narita, gathering firefighters from across Japan, at 11:30. 26 and a half hours later, at Narita the government aircraft was loaded with equipment, and the contingency rescue team was assembled from across Japan fairly quickly. This was all done out of the desire to get to New Zealand as quickly as possible, and rescue not only Japanese nationals, but all victims of the disaster. I think that everyone involved has been working hard, and they continue to work hard.
Since we knew about the 72-hour window from the start, we were battling the clock, and we chose this way because it is the fastest way to get there. Amid this, I think that it is extremely regrettable that no survivors have yet been found, and it is truly unbearable when you empathize the families.
As reported by Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga, there have been cases where people were found safe after more than 100 hours had passed, and people have been found alive after as much as a week, and he said that they have not given up by any means. They are working very hard and with very high morale to find and rescue survivors. I would like to express my sincere respect for their work, and I am confident that they will continue their efforts.
Oshima, Asahi Shimbun: In relation to the earlier topic of the government aircraft, I would like to confirm the following for the record. Yesterday, at a press conference, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Banno said, "With regard to the slight discrepancies, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize if we have caused the family members to suffer from great anxiety." Please tell us again your views of this.
Minister: It is as I said earlier.
Oshima, Asahi Shimbun: Do you feel sorry?
Minister: It is as I said earlier.
Inukai, Mainichi Newspapers: I have a different question about the government aircraft. It has been reported in the media that the government aircraft remains on site, and will be used to transport victims, or injured people, or perhaps including their families, back to Japan.
If this is the case, it appears that this would be the first time this has happened. At the time, there was talk that the legal grounds for transporting family members were not clear; what is the status of your study of this matter now, and what are your views about the legality of this matter? Alternatively, please tell us what your policy is on this.
Minister: This matter is currently discussed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense staff.
Inukai, Mainichi Newspapers: What is the current direction of your considerations? Will it be used for transporting the family back to Japan?
Minister: When I spoke with Defense Minister Kitazawa, my feelings and those of Defense Minister Kitazawa were the same: since it is going to make a round trip anyway, we share the same desire, and we are now doing legal consultations.
Noguchi, Nippon Television: Yesterday, the government created a family support team, and decided to respond to all requests or calls for help. Today, two additional physicians were dispatched to provide mental health care. What specific requests are the family members making to the government at this time? As of yesterday, at the press conference of State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Banno), he said that they were responding to all requests. There is that, and now these two psychiatrists have been sent. Is it normal to dispatch psychiatrists when a great tragedy like this one occurs? Also, please tell us if the families have made any specific requests.
Minister: The physicians were not sent at the request of the families. Although, in a wide range of natural disasters to date, experienced physicians have been sent, and so we decided to dispatch them this time. I think that the families have just one request: for everyone, including the 66 people on the international contingency rescue team, to put their untiring efforts into the search. For this reason, I think that our greatest duty is to provide complete support for the search effort.
Noguchi, Mainichi Newspapers: If there were any specific requests from the families, please tell us.
Minister: Both Parliamentary Secretary Tokunaga and the staff told us that the family members were very disappointed that they could not get near the site of the collapse due to the rain, as I mentioned earlier. I have not, although, heard of any other specific requests.
3. Third-country Resettlement Program
Ito, Japan Times: With regard to the third-country resettlement program, while I believe that this time, it was the first attempt at implementing this kind of program, and a relatively short period of six months at that, please tell us a little more about the current situation such as, for example, the actual Japanese language abilities of the refugees or whether they have become accustomed to living in Japan through the program. In addition, as you said that they are to engage in agriculture, can you be a little more specific?
Minister: With regard to their Japanese language abilities, I believe that they are improving their skills day by day. My understanding is that agricultural corporations have decided to accept them because they have learned to speak Japanese to an extent where they would not have any problem doing their work. I have also heard that the families are quite forward-looking, so we hope that in coming days, they will be able to blend into the Japanese society, as well as improve their Japanese language skills, through their work and through exchanges with the local communities. Although publicizing the names of the municipalities is permitted, we would like to refrain from giving out the names of individual agriculture corporations, considering that an onrush of media coverage, etc. would be undesirable, and as we also want the refugees to be left alone so that they can settle down with doing their work. I believe that they will work hard, and as I mentioned earlier, we would like to provide as much support as possible.
Ito, Japan Times: You said that you cannot give out names, so instead of names, can you tell us, for example, in what area of agriculture they will be working?
Minister: We will have my officials notify you about this to the extent that they can.
(NB) The agricultural corporation in Yachimata City, Chiba Prefecture is one that produces leafy vegetables, peanuts, etc. The agricultural corporation in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture is one that produces shiitake mushrooms.
4. Situation in Libya
Ichihara, NHK: With regard to the situation in the Middle East and Northern Africa, over which task force meetings have been held daily in addition to the situation in New Zealand, I believe that the situation in Libya is becoming increasingly serious. Please tell us your understanding of the current situation and how the Government of Japan intends to protect Japanese nationals, as some countries have dispatched military aircraft and ships.
Minister: I believe that the situation in Libya has become extremely severe and fierce. Although Colonel Qadhafi is calling out for an all-out counterblow, a considerable number of personnel in the military and the police have started to join the anti-government group, and even though Tripoli, the capital of Libya, is reportedly calm as of the moment, I have received reports that there has appeared an atmosphere like the lull before the storm, with the anti-government movement considerably closing in on Tripoli. Therefore, a situation that is very close to a civil war has emerged, and as there have been many reports that indiscriminate massacres may be going on, resulting in thousands of people being killed, in that sense, it is unthinkable to us that Colonel Qadhafi and his government is currently using guns to indiscriminately kill innocent citizens. In addition to strongly condemning them as acts that are completely unforgivable from the humanitarian perspective, the Government of Japan is concerned about the current situation and intends to demand that such cruel acts be halted immediately.
As for Japanese nationals living in Libya, the number of such persons has considerably diminished. As for chartered flights, we have been coordinating with other countries to make arrangements for Japanese nationals to board other countries' chartered flights and chartered ships. Fortunately, we have received reports that people aboard a chartered Spanish ship have evacuated the country. As a result, there are currently 23 persons still remaining in Libya. Of the 23 persons, 4 are aboard a chartered US ship in Tripoli Port and waiting for departure. In addition, there are 7 Japanese nationals residing in the local regions, and they are in 4 different places. One of them works for Hitachi, and the other 6 work under a subcontract with a South Korean company. While coordinating with the governments of other countries, we issued evacuation recommendations today that are applied to the whole country. We urge people to postpone traveling to Libya and evacuate that country. Although, we have made the announcements as overseas travel information, calling on people that "if it is safer to remain where they are rather than evacuating, they should stay there and exercise utmost caution to secure their own safety."
Although we are currently in contact with these 7 persons, we have raised the level of alert with regard to such overseas travel information and hazard information, and the remaining people at the Japanese Embassy, Foreign Ministry personnel, and those at diplomatic missions nearby are working together and currently making utmost efforts to work out arrangements to determine how to have these 7 persons evacuate the country. We plan to convene a meeting of our task force this evening and give out appropriate instructions upon hearing reports on the situation of those cordinations.
Deguchi, Kyodo News: An informal meeting of the UN Security Council has been convened with regard to Libya, and discussions have started. Saying that it will consider all options with regard to this, the United States is apparently studying the possibility of imposing sanctions on Libya on its own. Does the Government of Japan intend to take countermeasures, envisaging possible sanctions, etc.?
Minister: As I said earlier, indiscriminate killing of innocent, ordinary citizens must never happen, and we strongly condemn such acts and demand that they be halted immediately. We would like Colonel Qadhafi to once again cool off his temper and think it over.
As for sanctions, I stated earlier that there are 23 Japanese nationals still residing in Libya. While I forgot to mention it earlier, some of you may have noticed that subtracting 4, 3, and 7 from 23 leaves you with 9. These 9 persons are those who have married local nationals or are members of such families. Basically, these are people who replied -- when we confirmed their intentions -- that they wish to remain in Libya as long as their spouses or family members are there. Of course, we have also notified them of our evacuation recommendations.
With regard to the sanctions, not only Japanese residents but also foreign nationals of many other countries still reside in Libya. We do not think that having all the Japanese nationals evacuate means that everything would be fine. Therefore, while coordinating with various relevant countries, we need to conduct discussions, keeping in mind that in particular, sanctions would be meaningless if countries do not collaborate, and also thinking about what kind of reactions there may be.
Although we would like to conduct the discussions on the sanctions while thinking about the people of other countries in Libya or the people of Libya who are really innocent, I think that this is an issue that must be handled very carefully.
5. Democracy Movement in China Using the Internet
Nanao, Nico Nico Douga: My question is on behalf of our users, and it concerns China today. A movement calling on people to gather for a "Jasmine Revolution in China" has spread through the Internet, with gathering places expanding to 18 cities as of the 23rd. Meanwhile, according to the Information Center of Human Rights & Democracy, there are reports that several persons have been arrested for such charges as suspicion of attempting to overthrow the national government. How do you feel about the moves to hold pro-democracy demonstrations in China using the Internet as a tool, the issue of arrests, and the Chinese Government's moves to place the Internet under control?
Minister: I believe you asked me a question on three main points. Firstly, speaking in terms of the Japanese sense of values, there are 3 pillars in our Constitution -- the sovereignty of the people, pacifism, and the respect of fundamental human rights. It is written in the Constitution that these constitute Japan's national polity, or in other words, the framework of the state. It is our position, or belief that various fundamental human rights should be protected and that the people are the sovereigns who determine the future of our country. In that sense, we believe that it is desirable that this belief be universally shared by other countries.
Meanwhile, although I mentioned it at the time that similar situations developed in Tunisia and Egypt, I doubt whether it is appropriate simply to assert freedom and democracy. For example, there is the problem of whether a country can exist in places where dictatorial governments have continued for more than 30 years -- 41 years in the case of Libya -- with not even a decent parliament existing, must by asserting freedom and democracy. I would like to say that therefore, this is something that should be done by the people of countries according to the current conditions or situations in those countries and never be forced upon by other countries.
The third point is that the freedom of expression must indeed be firmly guaranteed, and it is important that the freedom of the Internet should be guaranteed except for regulating harmful information. I believe that it is undesirable to shut down the ordinary exchange of views and expression of one's own intentions.
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