Press Conference by the Press Secretary April 21, 1998

1. Friends of Cambodia meeting in Bangkok
2. Paper on Asian financial crises and Japan's response
3. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's Northern Territories proposal
4. Visit by State Secretary Masahiko Koumura to the Islamic Republic of Iran
5. Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the United Kingdom
6. Economic stimulus package
7. Announcement by the Republic of Korea
8. Further questions on Their Majesties' visit to the United Kingdom

1. Friends of Cambodia meeting in Bangkok

   I think you have been focusing on Kawana over the weekend, so I shall not make an announcement on Kawana; perhaps you have heard enough of that, but you may refer to that in your questions. While the focus was on Kawana over the weekend, there was another focus, on Cambodia, and that was in Bangkok. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura attended the Friends of Cambodia meeting, which took place in Bangkok on 19 April. If I could briefly recapitulate what has been happening with respect to Cambodia -- there have been a number of things happening. The granting of amnesty to Prince Norodom Ranariddh of the Kingdom of Cambodia and his return to Cambodia in March, the virtual collapse of the Khmer Rouge in the middle of April, the death of Pol Pot and then the statement by Prince Ranariddh on 17 April, last Friday, dissociating himself from the Khmer Rouge and announcing a cease-fire on the part of his forces. Given these developments, I think we can say that the main elements of the "Four Pillars" proposal put forth by Japan are more or less in place. There remain further issues to be tackled, but it seems that the minimum necessary political conditions are in place for the implementation of the election in Cambodia, which is scheduled for July this year. It is against this background that the Friends of Cambodia met in Bangkok on 19 April. The participants appreciated the positive developments in Cambodia since they last went to Manila in March, and they shared the recognition that a free and fair election does indeed seem possible The Friends of Cambodia expressed their intention to continue to extend their support to the election in Cambodia. Japan, for its part, expressed its intention to contribute US$250,000 to assist United Nations monitoring in preparation for the election. The Friends of Cambodia are to meet again sometime in mid-June.

2. Paper on Asian financial crises and Japan's response

   We have compiled an information sheet called "Misperception and Truth about Economies of Asia and Japan." I shall not go into the question of who might entertain the misperceptions; we are more interested in the truths. It covers such items as the causes of the Asian economic and financial crises, Japan's contribution to the efforts to overcome these crises, and Japan's economic policy, with reference to the recent economic stimulus package. It may be a little too voluminous for your bedtime reading, but I hope you have the time to go through it. I think among other items, it has some useful statistics.

3. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's Northern Territories proposal

   Q: The Spokesman for President Yeltsin announced that he refused the initiative made by Prime Minister Hashimoto concerning the border between Russia and Japan. Is the initiative at an end?

   A: There has been quite a lot of speculation with respect to this new initiative or new proposal put forward by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. The fact is that we are in the process of negotiating with the Russian side, and as Prime Minister Hashimoto and then indeed President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation said in their joint press opportunity at Kawana, this "proposal" is now being studied by the Russian side. Under those circumstances, there is a negotiation taking place on matters of major importance and considerable delicacy. We do feel that it is vitally important for us to keep quiet while this study or consideration is going on in the Russian side, and that really is all I can say. I am very effectively and fully prevented from commenting further on that matter.

4. Visit by State Secretary Masahiko Koumura to the Islamic Republic of Iran

   Q: Could you give us specifics about the visit by State Secretary Koumura to Iran?

   A: With respect to State Secretary Koumura's visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, I mentioned that he was in Bangkok over this weekend attending the Friends of Cambodia meeting as well as the 54th General Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). He is proceeding to Iran and will be visiting Iran from Wednesday, 22 April to Sunday, 26 April. This is in continuation of the political dialogue that has been taking place between Japan and Iran, especially after President Seyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran assumed the office of the Presidency last August. We hosted the Japan-Iran deputy ministerial-level consultations in Tokyo in November 1997, and State Secretary Koumura's visit is another move to strengthen the political dialogue with this new administration in Iran. In the course of his visit, State Secretary Koumura will pay a courtesy call to President Khatami and also will have talks with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazzi of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other officials. I might mention that the last time that a Japanese ministerial-level visit took place to Iran was in 1991, when then-Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama visited there.

5. Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the United Kingdom

   Q: Later today in London, a group of former prisoners-of-war will hold a press conference where they are going to announce a protest that they are organizing against the visit by His Majesty the Emperor in May. What is your reaction to that, and will it result in any changes to the plans for the visit?

   A: I must say this is a matter with which I have some degree of familiarity. I happen to have been in London until January this year, and I did spend a considerable amount of time, while I was in London, working on the general issue of reconciliation between our two countries in the context of what took place during wartime, and in that respect, what is very important is that in August 1995, then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama issued a statement expressing the deep remorse and apology on the part of the Government of Japan. On that occasion in his press conference, he stated clearly that this statement of remorse and apology was directed, among others, to the former prisoners-of-war (POWs) in the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been a number of efforts taking place in the United Kingdom, initiatives taken by private individuals and volunteers and helped by the Government of Japan under the rubric of the Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiative to open the hearts of those people who actually suffered during the war in prisoners' camps, and to widen the circle of reconciliation and friendship between those people and the Japanese people. I do feel that indeed, the circle of reconciliation and friendship is widening. One very graphic example of that taking place was the U.K. media coverage of Ambassador Sadayuki Hayashi laying the wreath on Remembrance Sunday last year at Coventry Cathedral, which was reported very widely in U.K. newspapers as well as on television. So I do feel that the reconciliation efforts are certainly underway. When Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom came to Japan, both Prime Minister Blair and Prime Minister Hashimoto noted this with satisfaction. At that time, the Government of Japan announced that it would be carrying out more of these reconciliation programs, including memorial visits by former U.K. POWs and Japanese soldiers to their old battlefields in Southeast Asia, granting scholarships to the grandchildren of former POWs, and doubling the number of former POWs and their families who will be invited to Japan. Now that is what has been happening with respect to this particular issue. Their Majesties are visiting the United Kingdom as the guests of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and we are convinced that Their Majesties will be given a very warm welcome by the people of the United Kingdom. The purpose of Their Majesties' visit is to underline and cement further the friendship and goodwill that exists between our two countries, and I do feel that friendship and goodwill will prevail on the occasion of Their Majesties' visit.

   Q: So this planned demonstration will not make any difference to the visit?

   A: I am not quite sure at this point which particular group is planning this demonstration. I have seen earlier reports about it. What I am saying is that we have this feeling of deep remorse and apology with respect to the fact that those people went through tremendous suffering during the war, but there has been a formal apology by the Government of Japan. There have also been steady efforts for reconciliation that are underway, and while we continue to have very deep sympathies for these people for the suffering that they underwent, we do feel that we are slowly on the way to achieving reconciliation and friendship with these people. It is against this background that, as I said earlier, I feel certain that the friendship and goodwill will prevail.

6. Economic stimulus package

   Q: In this document here, you talk about the stimulus package, the spending program of the Government. I know the Prime Minister is going to talk about this later in the week, but can you describe some of the highlights for us -- what some of these projects will be?

   A: I would have to dissect the Prime Minister's brain.

   Q: You refer to some of these things generally here. Can you give us an idea of how much money?

   A: Yes, I indicated the areas, but the question of precisely how much money is going to be allocated to which areas, and so forth --

   Q: Even if you do not want to give precise amounts, could you describe some of the projects, for example, when you are talking about communications, what do you mean?

   A: Communications and projects that have to do with aging, child care and so forth -- all these ideas are being put forward; all these ideas are being compiled, so I think you will have to wait a couple of days.

7. Announcement by the Republic of Korea

   Q: Could you comment on the announcement of the Government of the Republic of Korea not to ask the Government of Japan for compensation for the so-called "comfort women"?

   A: We just heard about this decision, and we do consider the issue of comfort women to have been an affront to the honor and the dignity of large numbers of women. We consider this step taken by the Government of the Republic of Korea to be an expression of their serious approach to resolving this issue, and we do hope that this will lead to an improvement in the living conditions of all the people who suffered as comfort women.

8. Further questions on Their Majesties' visit to the United Kingdom

   Q: To go back briefly to the Imperial visit again, can you tell me whether His Majesty the Emperor is personally aware that this demonstration is planned?

   A: Whether His Majesty the Emperor is personally aware as to the fact of this particular demonstration or other particular demonstrations, I am not quite sure, but the fact that there is this part of history which occurred between our nations and which has engaged the Government of Japan -- and for that matter, the Government of the United Kingdom -- in the postwar years in the context of achieving reconciliation is something that is well known in Japan, and I would not be surprised if His Majesty the Emperor were aware of that.

   Q: Just to follow up on that question, is His Majesty the Emperor briefed -- is he kept informed, on a day-to-day basis, of reports like the ones we have been discussing?

   A: There is one thing I should make clear. His Majesty the Emperor is not at the top of the policy-making machinery of the Government of Japan. The position of His Majesty the Emperor, under the present Constitution of Japan, is that of being the symbol of the state and the unity of its people. If you look at the Constitution, the functions that he performs are very limited. He does not engage in politics; he does not engage in policy making. Those matters are the responsibility of the Government. That needs to be made clear. At the same time, events that are taking place around the world are made known to His Majesty the Emperor in some way or another, but I do not think it is proper for me to start talking about what sort of telegrams are circulated to him. I do not think that Buckingham Palace does that with respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.