Press Conference by the Press Secretary May 23, 1997

Appeal concerning the Senkaku Islands
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nobuaki Tanaka: I would like to make one appeal concerning the Senkaku Islands. It has been reported that some Hong Kong, Taiwanese and other citizens plan to go to the Senkaku Islands shortly and that they may attempt to land to engage in fishing within these territorial waters. We have made it clear on a number of occasions in the past that the Senkaku Islands constitute an integral part of Japan's territory. If such reports come true, these actions would hardly contribute to the furtherance of our relations with Taiwan and Hong Kong. Therefore, the Government of Japan calls for the parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint and refrain from any act or action which might violate Japanese law. The Government of Japan appeals to them to deal with this calmly. If this appeal is not heeded, it is Japan's long-standing policy to take appropriate measures in accordance with Japan's laws and regulations.
Indonesian car policy issue
Q: I would like to ask about the Indonesian national car policy. Is the Government of Japan going to continue issuing complaints to the World Trade Organization (WTO)?

Spokesman Tanaka: Yes, our policy remains unchanged. Unless we have a very positive response from the Indonesian side, when the timing is appropriate, we would like to file a request to establish a panel on this issue. However, we did not really have much time to settle this issue between Japan and the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia is in the midst of its general elections and does not have time to pass thoughts on this issue. In fact, considering Golden Week and other Japanese schedules, we have not had much time in the past to engage in discussions with Indonesia. We thought that at this point, it is more advisable to give Indonesia a little more time on this issue. So, that is where we stand. But, our policy remains unchanged. That is, unless we have a positive response from the Indonesian side, we would like to request the set-up of the panel.
Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Asia
Q: Regarding Official Development Assistance (ODA), will you change the ODA policy to give assistance to other Asian countries or Africa?

Spokesman Tanaka: It is true that in the overall context of the fiscal reforms of Japan and other reforms, ODA is under scrutiny now. Our policy is now under examination from various quarters. It is true that the reports of the actual disbursement of ODA as of last year plunged sharply from previous levels. In fact, that has accelerated our ODA review process. But, the fact that ODA has been the cornerstone of Japanese foreign policy remains unchanged. As Japan expands its foreign policy perspective, ODA policy is also being globalized, now covering not only Asia, but also Africa and other continents. The importance of our ODA to these regions, e.g. Africa and Latin America, will be increasing. But, this does not mean that we will carry this out at the expense of Asia. Asia is also vital for Japan's foreign policy as well as its economic survival. Therefore, we will continue to provide substantial amounts of ODA to Asian regions, while at the same time, we would like to give somewhat more attention to other regions.

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