(* 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 Koichiro Gemba

Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 6:50 p.m.
Place: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Main topics:

Opening Remarks
- (1) 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China
- (2) Proposal of the extension of the Response Assistance Network (RANET) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Japan-China relations (Issues of resources development in the East China Sea)
Response to the aging society
Lecture of the Director General of the Okinawa Defense Bureau
Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake
TPP

1. Opening Remarks

(1) 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba: This year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. The two countries have shared the view on designating this year as "Friendship year for Japan-China People To People Exchange", and on promoting full range of People To People Exchange. Based on this, on February 16, the opening ceremony for "Friendship year for the Japan-China People to People Exchange" will be held in Beijing. This opening ceremony will be attended by Mr. Naoshima, former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as a special envoy of the Prime Minister. Also this will be attended by Mr. Yonekura, chairman of the executive committee for the Friendship Year, and other VIPs from Japan and China. This will coincide with the opening ceremony of the "Vibrant Japan" exhibitions organized by the Japanese government to dispel perceptions based on rumors, promote tourism to Japan and to support disaster-affected areas. The members of the AKB48, who will be the official supporters of the "Vibrant Japan" exhibitions, will perform. The government intends to capitalize on this 40th anniversary to accumulate many concrete cases of cooperation and exchange at all levels and in areas to further deepen the Mutually Beneficial Relations Based on Common Strategic Interests.

(2) Proposal of the extension of the Response Assistance Network (RANET) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Minister Gemba: The Japanese government has made a proposal on the extension of the IAEA’s RANET at the meeting of the IAEA, which stands for the Response Assistant network, as I stated in my response to a question at the Diet yesterday, and Japan has made a formal proposal at that meeting. Under the RANET system, participating countries register the types of assistance and contributions it can make in specific areas in advance so as to enable a smooth delivery of assistance in the event of nuclear accidents. Based on our experience and lessons learned from the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the Japanese government has become aware of the need to identify in advance the types of equipment and materials which will be required to stabilize situation at accident sites. Therefore, we propose that a new item "stabilization of situations at the accident sites" be added to this group of RANET activities, and an equipment list be compiled. When we lost all power, as you remember, some external generators, power-supply cars, pumper truck and sodium borate, etc. were required. Such items are the ones supposed to be included in the list.

2. Japan-China relations (Issues of resources development in the East China Sea)

Yoshioka, NHK: About Japan-China relations. Both governments at the end of the year in the summit meeting shared the view that the East China Sea should be a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship, and that both countries will cooperate together. But just one month later, at the gas field of Kashi, a flare was observed. Under the Kan administration, basically this was considered to be "the symbol of the Beneficial Relations Based on Common Strategic Interests". Has that not changed under the current administration? That is my first question. Concerning this negotiation for the agreement on the joint development of the gas field has not been held for one and a half years. While the two countries mark the 40th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations, if there are no developments (on this issue,) it may give the impression that fundamentally, the relations have not improved between the two countries since the Chinese fishing trawler collision in the waters off the Senkaku Islands. What is your view?

Minister Gemba: I suppose you are asking about the Kashi gas field, or the flare being observed on the west side of the Japan-China median line. This has been observed since September 2005. So it is not something that has happened recently. Since September 2005, flares have been observed. Concerning this kind of activity, we have lodged protests to China that unilateral development is not acceptable when we do not have an agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders. Many of you may know that there was an agreement in 2008, and that was about joint development of the northern area and the Shirakaba. For other maritime areas, the positions of the two countries have not converged yet. That is, we have different opinions. . So our position is that since the positions are different between the two countries, unilateral development should not take place yet and we have been lodging protests to China not to conduct unilateral development. Concerning how we position this resource development issue in the East China Sea, I intend to call on China that, very because such problems arise, we should expeditiously make further progress on this issue of resource development in the East China Sea, that is, we should firmly conclude an international agreement based on what we concretely agreed.
It is not the case that there has not been any progress or no confidence-building measures taken since the Senkaku case. When I visited China, concerning this maritime-related issue, a confidence-building framework among or between the maritime-related organizations was created. So through such measures, mutual confidence will be developed between the two countries and it is important to develop such mechanism in order that misunderstandings and mistakes should not lead to major troubles. I would like to add that such kind of progress is being made steadily.

Lee, Phoenix TV: Earlier, you said that the Japanese has lodged a protest with China. What was China’s response to the protest? Also, I understand that the Japanese stance is that in the absence of the demarcation of maritime borders you will not allow unilateral development on the part of China, but in the 2008 agreement, it is stipulated that in areas other than seven sea areas China would be free to conduct development. What is Japan’s view about this?

Minister Gemba: In response to your question, of course this is a diplomatic exchange, so I cannot divulge the details. However, as you said, the Chinese position and our position are different, that is, for the other non-designated sea areas, we agree to continue discussions on them. But China says that the west side of the median line, even after the agreement, is not included. So our positions are different. Against this difference in views, we are saying that because our positions are different, China should not embark on a unilateral development.

Lee, Phoenix TV: What was the response from Chinese side?

Minister Gemba: They are referring to their position, which I mentioned earlier.

3. Response to the aging society

Rahman, Muslim World: Today’s newspaper there is news about rate of Japan’s aging is unparalleled in the world and they say that Japan is on top of the world now, as far as aging society is concerned. National Institute of Population and Social Security Research says the situation is alarming. In 1960, there were 11.2 workers for one old man, one retired. In 2010, there were 2.8 workers for each old man to take care, and in 2060, it will be only 1.3 persons to look after an old person. I heard some people going from various countries to Australia and Canada. They gave some pieces of land to settle the farmers in their country. Is Japan thinking about some ways because in news, there was nothing mentioned about how the government of Japan is going to handle this very important issue. So is the government thinking about some ways?

Minister Gemba: May I clarify what your question is? Are you talking about the old people’s settlement to Australia or other countries? Do we have policies to promote that?

Rahman, Muslim World: I am asking if the government of Japan is thinking about some policies like this. I do not know if it was good or bad, but they allowed some farmers from various countries, and they gave some pieces of land to them, so that at least there should be some workers who can manage the farming in those countries.

Minister Gemba: So what you are asking is about Japanese people moving overseas?

Rahman, Muslim World: No. Unemployment and work in these third world countries. There are some farmers who migrate from poor countries. So they took the benefit of some farmers from poor countries, and they gave them some land where they can farm. I do not know whether it was good or bad, or if they could solve the problem. But this is what I saw around 50 years ago.

Minister Gemba: Thank you for the question. Concerning this declining population and the aging of the society, we lead the world in that regard, and I always say that, in terms of social security, taxes, administrative reform and political reform, we have to overcome issues by conducting reform in an integrated manner. By doing so, we need to overcome such difficult issues ahead of others. I think that is the mission given to us. Initially, we had expected more rapid aging, but that has been slowed down somewhat. Rather than aging, the declining population is a bigger issue. Previously I had explained that it would be 2046 when the population would be less than 100 million. That has been extended to 2048. So the speed of the decline has been slowed down somewhat. We essentially need policies to significantly raise the birth rate. Also, in terms of the decline of the working population, how we are to make up for that deficiency is an issue. Since economic growth is determined by productivity and working population, we need to increase productivity per capita first. We need to accelerate innovation for that purpose – that is important. Also, we need to take the vitality of the whole Asia Pacific region into Japan.
You asked about how the issue of immigration fits in this line of thought. The immigration issue I think is a very important issue. However, having said that, people with advanced expertise or certain level of knowledge – for these kinds of workers, we have taken policies to encourage these kinds of people to come to Japan. Also, with caregivers and nurses, although we have not had sufficient numbers and that is an area where we need to make great improvement, for those kinds of workers, we have to open the doors. I think that is an urgent issue that we are confronting. To what extent do we further increase the quantity and the quality of immigration? I think that is a very important issue for us in the immediate future.

4. Lecture of the Director General of the Okinawa Defense Bureau

Shimada, NHK: In the Diet, it is said that, prior to the Ginowan City mayoral election, the Director General of the Okinawa Defense Bureau had delivered a lecture to his staff. The same thing had been done in the Nago City mayoral elections two years ago. This is heavily criticized in the Diet. How do you respond to this?

Minister Gemba: I have not received the final report on this issue. According to the media reports, it appears that all that the Director General said was to urge the staff and families to go to the election. I think it is necessary, first of all, to listen carefully to the results of the investigation. I would like to wait until the accurate information or results of the investigation come out. I believe that in the meantime, the Defense Minister will be making due decisions on that point.

Shimada, NHK: On a related note, apparently in that lecture, according to media reports, the Bureau Chief did not call on his staff to vote for particular candidates. However, I believe that this was a behavior that could rouse some distrust among the local public. The Director General of the Okinawa Defense Bureau is in the position to ask the local community to consider the relocation of Futenma Air Station. I believe that this has further exacerbated the distrust. Therefore, will this impact the relocation of the Futenma Air Station? Also, there is some discussion about dismissing the Director General. Do you think that it is appropriate for a person with such a track record to stay in the position of the Director General?

Minister Gemba: As far as the last point is concerned, I believe it is up to the Defense Minister to wait for the results of the investigation to come out, and then take due decisions under his responsibility. I have not received a report on the fact, so I think it is premature for me to draw any conclusions as to the impact on Futenma. On the part of the Futenma issue, we will have to grapple with the issue as is squarely.

5. Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake

Yearwood, Miami Herald: As you look to rebuild from the earthquake, what lessons did you learn from places like Haiti, in terms of what happened there?

Minister Gemba: What we have learned from Haiti?

Yearwood, Miami Herald: What lessons can you learn from the response to the disaster in Haiti and how that was handled, not only by the Haitians, but also by the international community?

Minister Gemba: Currently, what is happening in Japan, especially the tsunami and the nuclear power plant accident, reconstruction and rebuilding from such disasters – certainly there are some aspects and factors where we can learn from the Haitian experience. But I think our disaster has been much larger in scale. Again, this is sort of an unprecedented situation we are confronting. In our experience for reconstruction and rebuilding, we would like to disclose information and share our experience to the world. The afflicted areas should be an example or model of how Japan or a region should be revitalized. Of course, from Haiti and other places, we need to learn various things. But I think we are facing very original, unique circumstances.

6. TPP

Ikegawa, NHK: The prior consultations with the United States for the participation in the TPP negotiations apparently may be held on the 7th and 8th of February, according to some reports. Is this true? Also, what issues will be covered during this prior consultation with the United States?

Minister Gemba: With regard to the prior consultation with the United States in relation to TPP, in the not too distant future, we will be holding talks in Washington D.C., because such consultations should be held in respective capital of each participating country. In the near future, we would like to hold such a prior consultation, and we are making final coordination. In the meantime, with the United States, we have had the bilateral economic harmonization dialogue and a variety of discussions. As far as the TPP is concerned, of course we have held a certain exchange of views. But there was a public comment process in the United States, and what the United States intends to place on the table as topics for the prior consultation have not been made clear, especially because the consultation has not begun yet. I imagine that after receiving the results of the public comment process, the U.S. government is now contemplating its own position. Based on these, we would like to take correct actions, properly considering what Japan can or cannot accept.

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