Top > Announcement > Press Conference by Foreign Minister > August 30, 2011

(* 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 Takeaki Matsumoto

Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 11:00 a.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room

Main topics:

  1. Opening Remarks
    • (1) Resignation
  2. Resumption of Procedure for Free High School Tuitions to be Introduced to Korean Senior High Schools
  3. Cabinet Resignation

1. Opening Remarks

(1) Resignation

Minister Matsumoto: The Cabinet has resigned en masse today. It has passed 175 days since and including the date of my assumption of office, during which I received a wonderful assistance  from media people. I presume that my work will be evaluated in various ways in the future, and I would like to say thank you again to everyone here for the past.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation  to the  political-level officials, undersecretaries, all other staff members, and overseas officials who have worked together for the last 175 days.
It was September last year when I was appointed to State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Japan is a country that has connected to the rest of the world and has been developing in a state open to the world. There is a view that Japanese culture blossomed out during the period of national isolation in the Edo period, but I think that Japan has been demonstrating its strength in a wide variety of fields including the fields of economy and culture since Japan opened its door to the rest of the world. I think Japan has been exercising its strength in every respect while incorporating some of the world's culture into its own culture. It is very meaningful to establish and stabilize the openness of Japan. Therefore, I have been thinking that the role of MOFA and its diplomacy was very important.
Unfortunately, we have a period when bureaucracy bashing is on the rise with a comparatively large number of negative assessments of governmental agencies today. However, I have been working for the last one year including my term of office as the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the last half year in the hope that all the officials including the three political-level appointees would demonstrate their power by keeping in mind that they are doing important duties for Japan, the nation, and the people.
Diplomacy, in particular, is influenced by each country's interests and position. MOFA has a very difficult, challenging, and important role to enable Japan as an open country to contribute to the world's peace, stability, and prosperity while maintaining Japan's position and interests. I have been working in the hope that all staff members would work with the awareness of their standpoint at the forefront.
I have been doing activities at the forefront by thinking of the importance of our patience in pursuit of good results. As a matter of course, foreign countries and areas are our counterparts in diplomatic activities. As you all know, negotiations with counterparts as well as adjustments on our side during or after negotiations are very important. I have been working, hoping that we would have patience in building up both negotiation power and adjustment power.
At the same time, there are problems that are solved within a short period. On the other hand, there are many strategic diplomatic issues requiring a long time to solve, which, however, need systematic progress to get results. I have been working on such issues by thinking of the importance of strategic planning with continuous efforts.
Furthermore, it is because our counterparts are foreign countries and areas, I have been working with them by thinking the importance of  reviewing what we arranged or did for the counterparts in the past. The roles of political-level officials are very important in order to review what we did in the past and hammer out a new direction if required. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the importance of further deepening the cooperation between the three political-level appointees and clerical staff members, I have been asking for the efforts of the staff members and three political-level appointees. The system of three political-level appointees working at the forefront of affairs, in particular, is a feature of the DPJ administration for the last two years. I do not think that a distance should be kept between the three political-level appointees and clerical staff members, and I think that they are beginning to understand an appropriate distance between them with an elapse of two years.
As you are well aware, Ms. Kikuta as one of the three political-level appointees flew over to countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Tokunaga visited overseas areas including the Middle East repeatedly without sparing toil. I asked Mr. Yamahana to visit  South America many times, and he was in South America last week as well, and returned to Japan yesterday. He told me that he came back unconsciously with his overcoat on, and broke out into a heavy sweat when he landed at Narita. I truly  think that they worked very hard.
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Takahashi flew around the world, while he had difficult time at the forefront of inter-ministerial negotiations. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Banno is my ally, so to speak, since I was the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and I had him cover the area that I could not reach. I really would like to thank him because he visited Russia and other pivotal countries repeatedly and played important roles.
It is necessary for MOFA to gain power for Japan and demonstrate its power domestically as well so that MOFA can demonstrate its power of diplomacy overseas, and I have been daring to say that MOFA should be a ministry that is powerful to Kasumigaseki, the Diet, and the people.
"Powerful to Kasumigaseki" means that adjustment power, which I mentioned a while ago, is very necessary. If say without mincing words, "powerful to the Diet" means that political power is necessary. "Powerful to the people" means that publicity is a big point.
Foreign affairs include many items that we cannot say in public. I explained everyone here that I can not answer some questions on the spot, which, however, might be answered clearly with an elapse of a few years. On the other hand, however, I think I answered questions precisely and disclosed information as much as possible in accordance with the basic stance of the DPJ administration.
Many things that I could not answer remain as my assignments. I wanted to have many more chances to have heart-to-heart talks with  staff members including young people. I could make several opportunities, which, however were fewer than I wished.
I wanted to visit various workplaces in the Ministry, but I regret that many workplaces remained unvisited for the last one year including my term of office as the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. I hope that MOFA officials will continue communicating with people outside MOFA to make it a firm and powerful  ministry.
We must establish a good relationship of trust with everyone that we meet at press conferences, which I think still remains as a challenge. I think I am talking frankly, but I often wanted to have my words taken as they were.
The Cabinet has resigned en masse today, and I have one thing for which I really hope that you will trust my words. For the last few days, for example, I happened to see a media report saying that Prime Minister Kan will take  advantage of his visit to China or the United States and attendance to the UN General Assembly to prolong the Kan Cabinet. I reiterated at press conferences that it was not true. I would like to say again that it is untrue. As far as I know, there were no alleged instructions on our arrangements for the UN General Assembly or an intentional try for a visit to China. The scheduled visit to the United States was called off, as you all know. Japan-U.S. relations are very important, and thus, the Prime Minister's visit to Washington early in September was canceled to avoid bothering both sides that are having tight schedules. I think the process of cancellation was well managed as well. So please understand that some media reports were untrue to the facts. I would like to say that the Cabinet did not take advantage of diplomacy and please understand that.
There is a pile of diplomatic assignments. I assumed office in the evening of March 9, and the Great Earthquake occurred in the afternoon of March 11. As a matter of course, it is true that rescue arrangements for the disaster became a major assignment. At the same time, however, I have been working by keeping in mind that I have to make firm progress in diplomacy in the aim of Japan's recovery from the disaster and reconstruction.
Japan-U.S. relations are the most important axis to our country. The new government had to establish a solid Japan-U.S. relationship of trust from the beginning, the progress of which might have been questionable to some people and evaluated in various ways. For the past two years, however, we were able to exchange frank views and provide possible cooperation. Japan and the United States have a long and strong relationship, which will be needed in the future as well. We do not deny that there are plenty of issues awaiting solution. However, we think we will be able to make a steady progress in the betterment of the relationship.
I think I was able to take over from the former Minister the atmosphere of talking candidly with neighboring Asian countries, such as China and Korea. I held talks with the Foreign Ministers of China and Korea many times, and had a large number of opportunities to come in contact with them including conversations at international conferences. As a matter of course, our standpoint and interests are different from theirs, which sometimes resulted in heated debates. In the sense of exchanging frank views, I hope that Japan's relationship with them will develop in the future. I believe that it will be and should be taken over to the next Minister.
I had many opportunities to talk with ASEAN leaders, and I believe that we were able to maintain and develop Japan's special relationship with ASEAN. I had opportunities to have necessary talks and exchange ideas with Dr. Marty Natalegawa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia as the chair country of ASEAN this year, as well as the Foreign Minister of Vietnam.
Furthermore, with consideration of the future of Japan, I personally have a strong desire to have a deeper relationship with emerging countries. I have had this sense since I selected South Africa to visit when I was the Chairman of the House Steering Committee before my entry to MOFA. I had several opportunities to exchange views with the Foreign Ministers of other countries such as Brazil, South Africa, and India. I think that Japan's relations with these countries will be very important in the future from the viewpoint of national interests and the standpoint of Japan's international strategy. I was in charge of these countries when I was the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs as a matter of course. I have been working with a high interest in Africa as well as South America. Of course, Japan's relations with Russia, and the United Kingdom, France, and Germany –the European countries- are important, too.
In that sense, I think it was very good of me to have several opportunities to meet the respective Foreign Ministers.
According to the record in my hand, I visited 13 countries, met the Foreign Ministers of 40 countries a total of 65 times.
In fact, the Diet has been in session during my term of office since March 9. From traditional practice, it was not easy to take overseas official trips. However, I was able to accomplish them with the efforts of the three political-level appointees and other officials of MOFA as well as the understanding of the ruling and opposition parties.
With the resignation of the Cabinet today, I will pack up my post as a Foreign Minister. Japan's diplomatic assets that have been accumulated are important, and I think they will be taken over.
As I mentioned, there are many assignments left. While the next Minister will deepen the relationship of trust with you, I hope that MOFA's diplomacy will be reported through the media to the people under your cooperation.
Thank you very much.

2. Resumption of Procedure for Free High School Tuitions to be Introduced to Korean Senior High Schools

Saito, Kyodo News: I believe that other reporters will probably ask you comprehensive questions about diplomacy, so I would like to ask you a different issue.
This is about the free high school tuitions to be introduced to Korean Senior High Schools. According to media reports, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Takagi announced the Prime Minister's instructions and said that the Prime Minister explained the reason the Government will start the screening procedure.
The media reported that North Korea has not conducted military actions comparable to the shelling of Yeonpyeong since November last year, there is some movement toward a North-South dialogue as well, and Prime Minister made a comprehensive judgment that North Korea returned to the previous state before the shelling of Yeonpyeong.
I would like to make sure whether MOFA has confirmed the contents of the Prime Minister's instructions and you share the same recognition if the Prime Minister said so.

Minister: Regardless of the procedure for making high schools tuition-free, I have been sharing the same recognition of regional and world situations with the Prime Minister successively.
In that sense, in my understanding, the progress of the procedure was stopped due to the so-called shelling of Yeonpyeong in November last year. Then we comprehensively judged that the situation and condition of North Korea returned to the previous state at least before November last year. We, however, must always make preparations for contingencies and I do not think it is appropriate to state a prediction about North Korea's behavior. In the meantime, with consideration of dialogues between North Korea and other countries, such as a North-South dialogue and a U.S.-DPRK dialogue on denuclearization held in July, the Government made a comprehensive judgment of the overall situation. In the sense of the recognition of the current situation, I understand that the final decision was made, and instructions were given, based on the same recognition shared by the Prime Minister, and myself, that is the Government.
Needless to say, basically, the resumption of the screening procedure should be judged objectively from an educational viewpoint and not from a diplomatic viewpoint. Therefore, I understand that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will advance the procedure.

Saito, Kyodo News: I would like to ask a question of you as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of State. The instructions were given one day ahead of the resignation, and I would like to have a comment on that if any. Furthermore, as you are informed, there were various discussions over this issue with pros and cons. I would like to have your explanation how you appreciate about this new policy that has come out.

Minister: The Prime Minister stopped the procedure at his own discretion, and I think that he always kept the resumption of the procedure in mind. In that sense, I think the Prime Minister made an overall judgment and made the final decision yesterday. Frankly speaking, with consideration of the time required to analyze the situation and confirm the procedure before announcing it externally, I understand that he took time to discuss the issue and it became yesterday that announced the decision. 

3. Cabinet Resignation

Inada, NHK: As you mentioned, the Kan Cabinet has resigned en masse. What do you as a member of the Cabinet think of the Kan Cabinet, the resignation of which has been voiced by other members of the Cabinet as well as ruling party members since the earthquake disaster?
The head of the new cabinet will be nominated today, and Prime Minister Noda will be born. As a ruling party member, what do you expect from the Noda Cabinet and the DPJ led by him?

Minister: I am a member of the Kan Cabinet, and therefore I do not think I am in a position to evaluate the Kan Cabinet.
On that basis, I can proudly say ‘yes’ if somebody asks me whether I at the forefront of foreign affairs have been doing my best. If somebody asks me whether I did everything possible or sought for all possibilities, I think I had things that I could have done better when I look back the past though I am afraid that some people might trip me up on my wording.
During my term of office, I met U.S. officials many times directly, which I believe steadily improved Japan-U.S. relations. Furthermore, as I mentioned a while ago, there are many assignments remaining for China and Korea, which are important countries to Japan. However, I think that at least we as in charge of foreign affairs have improved Japan's relationship of trust with their counterparts. I think that we played a satisfactory diplomatic role under the supervision of the Prime Minister.
As a matter of course, due to time limitations and other factors, it is true that I have left many things that I would have liked to do.
As for remedial measures for the disaster, which regrettably left serious damage, and the nuclear power accident is still awaiting solution. It is true that we cannot say many people including those who evacuated have regained their daily lives. I think it is our mission to continuously think of what we still can do.
When Vice President Biden visited Japan recently, he said the United States was able to do its best, but he also denoted that he still wonder that the United States could have done more with this situation. I have the same feeling. I find no shame in having done my best. However, I strongly recognize that there remain heavy results and many assignments to be accomplished.

Inada, NHK:  What do you think will come about with the Democratic Party of Japan under Noda’s Cabinet?

Minister: It was quite difficult for me as a minister to select one of the candidates for the president at the current DPJ's presidential election, since I had worked together with each one of them and recognized that every one of them has his own strength and has the ability to carry out his given mission. The outcome of the election was as you know that Finance Minister Noda, my senior, was elected as the president. 
It was in 2002 that Mr. Noda first ran for a DPJ's presidential election, when I supported him all the way. The other hopeful candidates were Prime Minister Kan, the former Prime Minster Hatoyama, and the current Speaker of the House of Representatives Takahiro Yokomichi. The common recognition at that time shared by all of us including Mr. Noda was that, in our feelings, although we should extend thanks to those senior members who established and had led the DPJ, it would take a new young leader to raise the DPJ to a higher stage. I clearly remember that having such a recognition, and we supported Mr. Noda in developing the DPJ’s presidential election campaign.

Although the DPJ has been, in principle, guided especially by the four executive leaders such as Prime Minister Kan, DPJ President Hatoyama, and DPJ former President Ozawa, those who had had experience as  DPJ presidents, and in addition Chairman of the House of Councilors Koshiishi immediately before the change of government, it is my candid impression that the time has come when the next generation should take an active role at the forefront of politics, expressing thanks to all those senior members and continuing to receive guidance from them.  
Since the establishment in 1996 of the former DPJ, or, to put it better, the even older DPJ, so far as I know, the current DPJ presidential election may be the only one for which neither Prime Minister Kan nor former Prime Minister Hatoyama has run. In any way, since a new leaf has been turned over, it will be quite important to get together all the forces of the DPJ members including our seniors who have contributed very much to the development of the DPJ. Yesterday, Mr. Noda started off by saying, “There shall be no sides,” which was very impressive to me and led me to expect that all those forces will be joined together under his leadership.

Matsumura , Asahi Shimbun: We would like to have an idea about a new foreign policy under the new President Noda. Although the Prime Minister is the top official responsible for foreign policy, Mr. Noda did not refer to his foreign policy in his speech before the election. Therefore, we have no clear idea in which direction President Noda’s foreign policy is supposed to go. Under such circumstances, you are kindly asked to tell us what you expect of President Noda’s foreign policy and to give him some advice.  

Minister: I am not in a position to give any advice. The time for a speech was limited and speeches were broadcasted by TV.  Mr. Noda may be of course conscious of the public as the audience. However, since his speech was for the presidential election, I understand that Mr. Noda clearly stated his own position to the National Diet members as the actual voters. Since a certain understanding of Mr. Noda’s standpoints and policies is gained by the National Diet members through many other occasions when Mr. Noda had made speeches, I see that under such a presupposition Mr. Noda made his speech. If I dare to add or reiterate my understanding, one of the major reasons why the DPJ gained power was that the Party puts weight on the Japan-U.S. relations and is not the one which negates the “continuity of foreign policy.”
Of course, cabinet members and prime ministers had been changed and various statements and policy changes had been presented each time on respective issues under the LDP rule. However, a large framework seems to have been unchanged. While keeping the Japan-U.S. relations as the axis of its foreign policy, Japan has continued to foster relations with neighboring countries in Asia such as China and South Korea, and has supported the development of, and showed its attitude toward the mutual development with, the Southeast-Asian countries for the past two years without ever changing such a policy, each of which need not be mentioned in detail. This basic recognition is, I am sure, also shared by President Noda. It is of course uncertain what kind of framework President Noda is going to establish and how. But I am confident enough to say that President Noda will firmly work on various issues on diplomatic schedule for international conferences such as the UN General Assembly in September. And I am expecting that he will forge ahead with the politics to solve such issues as mentioned before, and I as a member of the ruling party have an intention to fully support his politics.

Oshima, Asahi Shimbun:  Now I would like to ask you about "continuity of foreign policy" as referred to in your answer to the foregoing question. Although it is quite natural and necessary to keep a certain level of continuity in the policy on foreign affairs and national security, once there has occurred a change of government in the democratic society, a change in foreign policy may occur without exception, which can be seen, for example, from the recent case in the U.S. As regards its foreign policy, the DPJ must have argued that it would develop such and such a foreign policy once it had gained power. During the period of the past two years, you have been working as the State Secretary and as the Foreign Minister for about half the period. Now, I would like to ask you two questions. One is whether you have been able to realize the foreign policy which you have so far advocated or a method of decision-making on foreign policy. The other is that if not fully realized, what do you think are the main reasons for that?

Minister: One of the reasons why I mentioned “continuity of foreign policy“ in addition to "variability of policy on individual issues” is that the basics and mission of democracy on domestic issues is to promote and carry out policies according to choices of the people, the holder of sovereign power as early as possible. However, with regard to foreign affairs, in addition to that, relationships with foreign countries need to be considered. Therefore, even if a change of government has occurred in Japan, starting of conventional agreements from scratch can be clearly said to be undesirable, irrespective of arguments of whether it is possible or not. From the viewpoint of maintenance of confidence in Japan, we should start with fulfillment of promises, and if necessary, we should restart negotiations. There will be cases in judgment, for example, where on a certain theme, if we comprehensively consider it, it might be desirable to change it, but if we comprehensively consider a relationship with a certain country, we should work on other matters of urgency. Having all this said, I think there are things fulfilled and unfulfilled on individual  themes which I discussed on foreign affairs at time of the election campaign. To take an example of the SDF's refueling operations in the Indian Ocean, about which there are many different opinions, I had insisting on wrapping up the activities. Though there were opinions positive and not necessarily positive, we were able to finally wrap them up, while gaining understanding and acknowledgment from the international community. This is one of the things that have been realized, and there are many things still unrealized. However, so far as issues on foreign affairs are concerned, I should frankly say to the public that it will take more time and efforts to solve them than domestic issues. In that sense, it cannot be avoided that compared to the challenges that have occurred in diplomacy, issues that have been pointed out in the DPJ’s manifesto are somehow limited in coverage. This is my candid opinion as a person who has been engaged in preparing manifesto several times. 

Oshima, Asahi Shimbun: You referred to the SDF's refueling operations in the Indian Ocean just now and to diplomatic relations with emerging countries previously. Then, I would like to ask you in a different manner. During the past one year with  the DPJ in power, what are the things which you as State Secretary and Minister Matsumoto under the current administration have accomplished?

Minister: There is nothing that I think I have accomplished myself. All things are done by the whole members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as such, as things have been accomplished, they have been publicised one by one. Even if we can pick them up one by one, it would not be adequate to name specific countries concerned to show examples. Please forgive me not to do so. However, as I mentioned at the beginning, it seems that I mentioned it here, when we took over the government. The reason why the nation entrusted the government to untested and generally young DPJ  was that there were many issues remaining which seemed to have been difficult to solve by the older government. If so, I believe that the nation first and foremost demanded the new administration to profoundly solve issues in a completely new way. For that purpose, politician-led activities with the three high-ranking ministerial officials might be able to newly work on solving issues remaining as such in the conventional administrations one by one including the conventional vertical administrative structure. I and the three political-level appointees have been making efforts to break through the interministerial barriers earlier or more steadily than before, such as negotiations on economic partnership, etc. As the result of which we are getting closer and closer to the solution of small issues, though not small, one by one which have remained untouched due to the standoff of interministerial negotiation. In this sense, it seems that the DPJ has been playing the role of steadily solving long-standing issues and unfinished tasks one by one. 

Ogawa, Yomiuri Shimbun: Three DPJ’s members have assumed the premiership during the past two years since the birth of the DPJ’s government, and including some period before this administration, one prime minister has been replaced with another every year. Under such circumstances, in terms of summit diplomacy, the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States was postponed, his schedule of a visit to China has not been determined, Korean President’s visit to Japan is not yet decided, and Japan’s policy on participation in TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) has not been determined smoothly. In addition, in terms of territorial issue, there have been aggressive attacks on Japan from China, Korea, and Russia, and nevertheless, Japan appears to have been passive. At present, there is a criticism that Japan’s transmission of information and presence in diplomacy has dwindled. Minister, what is your idea about such a criticism? 

Minister: If the contents of press conferences I have had during a period of 175 days of my service have been correctly transmitted, I am sure we are not evaluated in such a manner.  

Back to Index