Press Conference by the Press Secretary May 16, 1997

Membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nobuaki Tanaka: At the outset, let me reiterate our welcome to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the Government of the United Kingdom. You should have already received our statement by Press Secretary Hiroshi Hashimoto of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this issue. But, if you do not have it, please obtain it. We welcome the return of that Government, and we hope that in the future the United States and Singapore, which also withdrew from UNESCO, will resume membership.
Japanese wives in North Korea
Q: Can you tell us about reports that North Korea has approached Japan to allow Japanese wives in North Korea to visit their families?

Spokesman Tanaka: Well, on this issue, we do not have any comments, because we have a long-standing policy of making no comments on the concrete modality of our contacts with North Korea.

Q: Is it correct that Chief Cabinet Secretary Kajiyama today confirmed that there had been some approaches?

Spokesman Tanaka: No, Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiroku Kajiyama neither confirmed nor denied the report.

Q: I understand that the issue of Japanese wives is one of the three impediments or main issues that Japan is concerned about. If there were some movement on that issue, do you think that would change Japan's attitude toward providing food aid?

Spokesman Tanaka: The Government of Japan attaches importance to this question of the Japanese wives. In the past, we have asked the North Koreans, through the Japanese Red Cross, for some information as to whether these wives concerned were alright at that stage. Also, through various stages of our negotiations with North Korea, we have urged the North Koreans to allow some of these wives, even before the normalization, to come back to Japan and visit their families. However, North Korea has not complied with our requests, citing the reason that the atmosphere surrounding the negotiations was not conducive to that kind of solution. At any rate, the Government of Japan continues to deal with this issue with sensitivity, bearing in mind that this is a humanitarian problem.
Food aid to North Korea
Q: Is there any change in Japan's position on providing food aid to North Korea?

Spokesman Tanaka: No, our policy on this issue remains unchanged, and we are still considering this issue in light of all the developments. We have also made it clear that we have several humanitarian problems.
Alleged kidnapping of Lebanese by North Korea
Q: There were press reports that the Foreign Ministry is now looking into the case of the kidnappings of Lebanese in the 1970s that were taken to North Korea but were not allowed to return to Lebanon. Can you confirm these reports?

Spokesman Tanaka: I am aware of the reports. I understand that these are cases involving Lebanese people. We are following up on this issue. It is true that we are looking into this issue. At this stage we cannot make further comments.

Q: How are you looking into this issue?

Spokesman Tanaka: We are just collecting information and so forth. It is a matter of the past.
Alleged kidnapping of Japanese by North Korean agents
Q: There have been, of course, reports of suspected Japanese kidnapping victims by North Korean agents. What is the current stance of the Foreign Ministry on this? What, if any, actions are you taking?

Spokesman Tanaka: We have made clear in the past, also, that this possible kidnapping is a serious humanitarian problem. Certainly, we have a great deal of difficulty in dealing with North Korean due to this issue.
Agreement between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Russian Federation
Q: Is there any official reaction from the Japanese Government about the conclusion of the agreement between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Moscow this week?

Spokesman Tanaka: We understand that, basically, the current agreement between the Russian Federation and NATO is an agreement in principle. The details of the documents are yet to be finalized. Anyway, we are continuing to look at this issue with interest and are following up very carefully. We welcome that both sides have reached an agreement on the modality of the cooperation between NATO and Russia. This is a very important step toward structuring the post- Cold War order in the European region. We have great hope that this will be a conducive step toward peace and stability in Europe.

Q: There were a lot of interpretations and news reports about the nature of this document. Have you received any information from, for example, the Government of the United States on the contents for the particular articles of this document?

Spokesman Tanaka: I cannot deny or confirm whether or not we have actually received that document that has been agreed on. But certainly we have been briefed thoroughly on this issue by both sides, so we are following up on this issue closely. So, in considering this matter, we believe that we have sufficient information.
Upcoming visit of Defense Minister Igor Rodionov of the Russian Federation to Japan
Q: Do you have any comments concerning the upcoming talks between the Defense Minister of Russia and his Japanese counterpart?

Spokesman Tanaka: On the visit of Defense Minister Igor Rodionov of the Russian Federation to Japan, I believe that there is an agenda already worked out between the two sides. But what they will actually discuss depends on the two defense leaders. Therefore, I cannot make any prejudgement on the content. Normally, I would expect that in reviewing the overall security environment surrounding our countries, they will touch upon issues such as the most recent important developments in this field.

Q: Do you have any information on documents that may possibly be signed here in Tokyo between the Russian Defense Minister and his counterpart?

Spokesman Tanaka: Certainly, at the working level, we have been working on those documents.

Q: What kind of documents?

Spokesman Tanaka: They may not be documents, but perhaps some kind of announcement. However, I cannot tell you whether or not it is ready. It is up to the ministers to decide on anyway.

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