Press Conference by the Press Secretary July 18, 1997

Introduction to the press conference
1. New president in India
  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nobuaki Tanaka: Today, my press conference will be followed by a background briefing by the directors and relevant officials on the visit of Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda to the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and his participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Meeting. I would like to set aside this topic for my colleagues. First, concerning the new President of India, Mr. Kocheril Raman Narayanan has been a diplomat and has served in Japan. We welcome his victory in the presidential election. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto has sent a congratulatory telegram to Mr. Narayanan for his victory.
2. Situation in Afghanistan
  Spokesman Tanaka: As you know, the Government of Japan invited last year various people concerned with the Afghanistan conflict, one from the Taliban and another from the Rabbanny. This year, we have invited three people from the Dostum, Rabbanny, and Khalili factions. Now, we are going to again invite Taliban people to Japan. We invited three people from the Taliban, one of the parties involved in the Afghanistan conflict, to Japan. Their visit extends from 17 July to 24 July. In view of stressing the early realization of peace in Afghanistan, and in view of supporting and complementing the United Nations peace process, during their stay in the Japan, the three members of the Taliban will exchange views with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials. Through such an exchange of views, the Government of Japan will strongly call for a cease-fire and commencement of a dialogue for a national reconciliation. The Government of Japan would also like to explore their views on the situation in Afghanistan and their prospective solution of the Afghanistan situation.
Issue of Japanese wives in North Korea
Q: I wanted to asked about yesterday's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report about the Japanese wives' homecoming. What is your comment on this report yesterday?

Spokesman Tanaka: The Government of Japan attaches great importance to the issue of "Japanese wives in North Korea" from the humanitarian point of view. We have sought the early return of even a partial portion of the Japanese wives remaining in North Korea before the normalization of the relationship between the two parties. The statement made by the Spokesman for the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee opens the way for the temporary visit by these Japanese wives to Japan, and we welcome that. However, we would like to make sure of the actual early return of these Japanese wives. On our part, as a Government, we will continue to do our utmost to ensure that that will happen.

Q: Do you think that the announcement this time is genuine?

Spokesman Tanaka: We have this Spokesman's announcement and we welcome that. But at the same time, on our part as a Government, we would like to make sure that the visit of the Japanese wives would materialize at the earliest opportunity.

Q: If this is realized, will it give a positive affect on the food aid issue and other issues?

Spokesman Tanaka: As you know, our policy on food aid to North Korea remains unchanged. In other words, we are examining all the elements related to this issue. After taking into account all the factors, we will arrive at a conclusion. Certainly, this visit by the Japanese wives remaining in North Korea will certainly be an element in our consideration. Again, I must stress that we have to take into account all the elements related to food aid before we arrive at a certain conclusion.

Q: Could you give a very brief explanation on the official level as to what is the latest state of this issue of the Japanese wives' homecoming?

Spokesman Tanaka: On 17 July, we came across this statement by North Korea. While we, on our separate track, try to make sure that the visit by these Japanese wives would materialize at an early stage. That is the effort that we on the part of the Government of Japan will do. But, it was only yesterday that the announcement came.

Q: Has there been any indication from the Spokesman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee that all the Japanese wives who wish to come to Japan for a visit will be able to come?

Spokesman Tanaka: Our understanding is that the Spokesman for the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee announced yesterday that the Japanese wives remaining in North Korea would be allowed to visit their families.

Q: Is there any restriction on the numbers?

Spokesman Tanaka: No, there is no reference to it.
Japan-North Korea contacts
Q: You are planning to have an unofficial talk in Beijing on Saturday --

Spokesman Tanaka: It has been a long-standing policy of the Government of Japan not to make any comments on our contact with the North Korean authorities. I cannot say any more than that. We do not deny that we have had these contacts in the past. But, we cannot say in advance what kind of contact that we might have.
"Surrounding area" situation
Q: Yesterday in Beijing, Secretary-General Kato said that the new Japan-U.S. Guidelines for Defense Cooperation is mainly to address the contingency in the Korean Peninsula. Is that the Japanese Government's position?

Spokesman Tanaka: The official position of the Government of Japan on this so-called "surrounding area" situation remains unchanged. In other words, we do not really envisage any particular region in our mind in referring to the "surrounding area" situation. I believe that the remarks made by Secretary-General Koichi Kato of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) meant to say, in fact, that the situation in the Korean Peninsula certainly has a lot to do with the peace and security of Japan. Bearing that in mind, his remarks should be interpreted as an expression of concern about the uncertainty over the Korean Peninsula. This is our understanding of that remark.

Q: At the same time, Secretary-General Kato tried to convince Chinese leaders that the new Japan-U.S. Guidelines for Defense Cooperation does not address the so-called threat or activities by China. Could you state the position of the Japanese Government on this?

Spokesman Tanaka: Do you mean to say that Secretary-General Kato mentioned specifically certain activities --

Q: It is not meant to intimidate or it is not meant to counter Chinese militarism.

Spokesman Tanaka: Certainly, the Japan-U.S. Guidelines for Defense Cooperation does not purport to threaten any other country. The exercise of the Japan-U.S. Guidelines for Defense Cooperation is to explore the possibilities that Japan could contribute in dealing with the situation in which the development of a certain situation might affect the peace and security of Japan. Therefore, it forms a part of Japanese efforts to fill the gap between our potential capability on one hand, and what we can do right now on the other hand. Certainly, it is not meant to threaten anybody else. Rather, we believe that this exercise would enhance the stability and the confidence-building in the Asia-Pacific region.
Chinese maize shipment to Japan
Q: A newspaper article has reported that a North Korean freighter is in Aomori and is rumored to be involved in international food aid? What is the reaction of the Government of Japan?

Spokesman Tanaka: We are aware of the report. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought clarification of that fact from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Our understanding is as follows. There has been a request for a quarantine of imported plants, i.e., maize, which were shipped by a freighter which entered into Aomori Port on 14 July. The import examination, in terms of quarantine, was undertaken on 15 July in Aomori by the Yokohama Quarantine Office. The amount that was examined was 130,000 tons. The object was Chinese maize. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries clarified this importation with the importer, Tokuramura Agriculture Corporation. The agriculture corporation replied as follows. This importation was done through North Korea. They changed the transportation route from the conventional Dalian route in order to shorten the transportation period. In this importation, they changed the cargo, which was imported from China, in North Korea. Throughout the entire process up to Japan, some officials from that agriculture corporation have been supervising the process. Therefore, it is our understanding that it was simply just a change of the ships that they made in North Korea, and it was, in fact, a change in the cargo. Last year, in China, the maize production has been increased by 13.8 percent. This enables the Chinese to reopen their exportation of maize.

Q: Who was responsible for overseeing the shipment of this grain?

Spokesman Tanaka: The whole process has been supervised by an official from the agriculture corporation.

Q: Can I understand that the supervisor from the company actually accompanied the shipment to Japan?

Spokesman Tanaka: That is my understanding, yes.

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