Press Conference by the Press Secretary 15 October, 1999

1. Announcement on the changing political scene in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
2. Japan's position on the United States' refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
3. Dispatch of United States fact-finding team to the nuclear accident site at Tokaimura

1. Announcement on the changing political scene in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have three announcements to make. First, on the political change in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Yesterday we made a press release by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono on this issue to express our deep concern about the development of the situation in Pakistan. Today, before dawn, we witnessed new developments in Pakistan. Following these developments, this morning Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yutaka Kawashima called Ambassador Touqir Hussain of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and made the following demarche: Today before dawn, the Pakistan military forces proclaimed a state of emergency and ordered the abeyance of the Constitution of Pakistan and suspension of National Assemblies, Provincial Assemblies and the Senate. Such developments run counter to democracy, about which we are extremely concerned. If Pakistan continues to move in this direction, it would be placed in a difficult position in relations with the international community. Such a direction will also not serve Pakistan's economy and the interest of the Pakistani people. We strongly hope that the present situation will be resolved as soon as possible in accordance with democratic and constitutional procedures. We also hope that the direction of such a resolution will be quickly set forth to avoid the destabilization in Southwest Asia and also not to weaken the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Ambassador Hussain took note of this demarche and said that he will report it back to Islamabad.

   Related Information (Japan-Pakistan Relations)
   
2. Japan's position on the United States' refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

   Mr. Harada: My second announcement is on the refusal by the United States Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We made a press release yesterday of the statement by Foreign Minister Kono on this issue too. The essence of the statement is that despite the United States administration's strenuous efforts, the United States Senate rejected the proposal to ratify the CTBT in its plenary session. We are very deeply concerned about this, because this rejection might have immeasurable negative impacts on world nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation in coming years. In the statement we also say that Japan strongly urges both the United States administration and the Senate to take necessary measures soon lest the CTBT should lose its credibility and significance. To convey such concerns to the United States, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi will send a letter to President William Jefferson Clinton of the United States. At the same time, Foreign Minister Kono decided to send State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ichita Yamamoto to the United States to convey our concerns to Government of the United States and the Congressmen concerned, and to request further efforts for the ratification of the CTBT. State Secretary Yamamoto will take Foreign Minister Kono's letter to State Secretary Madeleine Albright of the United States; he is leaving today.

   Related Information (Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation)
   
3. Dispatch of United States fact-finding team to the nuclear accident site at Tokaimura

   Mr. Harada: My third announcement is on the dispatch of the United States fact-finding teams to the fuel conversion facility where the nuclear accident occured in Tokaimura. At the last press conference, there was an announcement on the dispatch of the experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the same purpose, but here it concerns the United States experts. The United States has been in touch with us with the desire to send experts here for fact-finding purposes regarding this accident at the fuel conversion facility at Tokaimura. We are accepting this team, which comprises three experts. They will be exchanging views with people in the relevant authorities in Japan. They will also be seeing the area surrounding the facility. They will be arriving in Japan on 18 October and leaving Japan on 19 October. As I touched upon, the experts of the IAEA have already been staying in Japan from 13 October and are leaving 17 October. They are already engaged in fact-finding work.

   Q: You have covered all the issues I wanted to ask about, so I do not have any questions.