Top > Announcement > Press Conference by Foreign Minister > April 3, 2012

(* 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: Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 9:05 a.m.
Place: In the Diet

Main topics:

  1. Opening Remarks
    • (1) Extension of Sanctions Against North Korea
  2. Questions concerning the Situation in Myanmar

1. Opening Remarks

(1) Extension of Sanctions Against North Korea

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba: I am aware that a separate announcement will be made on this by the Chief Cabinet Secretary, but a decision was made in a Cabinet Meeting today in relation to the sanctions against North Korea that are set to reach their termination date on April 13. There are two sanctions, one prohibiting port calls by sea vessels registered in North Korea and the other prohibiting exports and imports to and from North Korea. It was decided that both would be extended for one year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to urge North Korea again to take concrete actions toward resolution of the issues, in close cooperation with the ministries and agencies concerned.

2. Questions concerning the Situation in Myanmar

Noguchi, Nippon Television: I would like to ask about the by-election held in Myanmar. Local election administrators have made public that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has officially won the election. The National League for Democracy (NDL) won by an overwhelming majority, obtaining 40 seats out of 45. How do you feel about this result?

Minister Gemba: Japan has dispatched three persons as electoral monitors to Myanmar, and from them I have received a tentative report that there was no major confusion at the time of voting and counting of votes, and that the election was conducted peacefully. As you just mentioned, it was an election which Daw Aung San Suu Kyi stood for. I strongly expect that this election will further promote democratization and national reconciliation.

What is important from now is to take a close look at the election outcome and analyze it comprehensively.  It means I will look at the point how the process of voting and counting of votes was done. It is also important for the people of Myanmar to realize that the progress of democratization and national reconciliation will make Myanmar an affluent country, so I would like to provide firm support to this end. So far I have been saying, I have given instructions for a review of our aid policies, and in relation to it. I expect the people of Myanmar to realize that the progress of democratization and national reconciliation will lead them to more affluent lives.

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