Press Conference by the Press Secretary 4 February 2000

1. Announcement on the dispatch of missions to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
2. Announcement on Japan's assistance to the Republic of Indonesia at the 19th Consultative Group Meeting on Indonesia
3. Announcement on the Multilateral Steering Group Meeting of the Middle East Peace Process
4. Questions relating to Japan's whaling activities
5. Issues concerning the meeting between Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Shozo Azuma and Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov of the Russian Federation
6. Questions concerning the preliminary talks with North Korea and the establishment of a liaison office in East Timor

1. Announcement on the dispatch of missions to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

   Deputy Press Secretary Harada: Good afternoon. Let me start by making three announcements. Firstly, on the dispatching of missions to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

   The Government of Japan will dispatch two persuasion missions to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: one headed by former Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria from 8-14 February, and the other, headed by State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ichita Yamamoto, to the People's Republic of China from 11-13 February.

   Japan, which believes the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to be extremely important, has been dispatching a series of such teams to the countries which have not yet ratified or signed the Treaty, with the aim of increasing as much as possible the number of countries that have ratified the Treaty (44 are needed for the Treaty to enter into force) by the time the Review Conference on Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) is held at the end of April.

   Japan has so far dispatched State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Yamamoto to the United States of America, the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Director-General for Arms Control and Scientific Affairs Norio Hattori to the Russian Federation, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of Indonesia, and Deputy Director-General for Arms Control and Scientific Affairs Yukiya Amano to the Ukraine. In Indonesia, Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Matsunaga made a demarche to President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia and made similar demarches in Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Japan intends to continue encouraging the countries which have not ratified the Treaty to ratify it at an early date. In China, Sate Secretary Yamamoto will exchange views on Japan-China relations in general, in addition to facilitating the ratification of the CTBT. I might add that, before visiting China, State Secretary Yamamoto will visit the Republic of Turkey from 7 February. He will attend the opening ceremony of the so-called 'Japan Village' which is the name of construction site of temporary housing that Japan transported to Turkey. State Secretary Yamamoto will also hold meetings with the leaders of the Government of Turkey.

   Related Information (The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT))
   
2. Announcement on Japan's assistance to the Republic of Indonesia at the 19th Consultative Group Meeting on Indonesia

   Mr. Harada: My Second announcement is on Japan's announcement of assistance to the Republic of Indonesia at the 19th Consultative Group Meeting on Indonesia. The Consultative Group Meeting on Indonesia (CGI) was held on 1-2 February in Jakarta under the auspices of the World Bank. Japan, as the largest donor for Indonesia and as a responsible member of the Asian community, expressed its resolve to extend all possible assistance to Indonesia's self-help efforts, in spite of its own severe financial conditions. While requesting Indonesia to continuously promote political and economic reforms and enhance 'Good Governance,' including eliminating corruption, Japan announced at that meeting the extension of an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan of approximately 16 billion yen as well as grant aid and technical cooperation, including development research of about 12 billion yen to Indonesia as economic cooperation on a bilateral basis for fiscal year 2000.

   This package of assistance is intended to support Indonesia's efforts toward its economic recovery and to meet the increasing financial needs for implementing economic, structural and other types of reforms. The total of newly extended assistance to Indonesia for fiscal year 2000 -- April to December 2000 -- amounts to approximately 28 billion yen. Besides this newly extended assistance, which I have just explained, Japan explained during the meeting that a total of appropriately 113 billion yen is scheduled to be disbursed for the yen loan pipe line and that the yen equivalent of approximately US$230 million (about 24 billion yen) in fiscal year 2000 as untied loans, which are other official flows through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation on the basis of the New Miyazawa Initiative, is also scheduled to be extended. Accordingly, the total sum of official flows to be extended by Japan in fiscal year 2000, will amount to approximately 165 billion yen, which is about US$1.56 billion. This CGI meeting was attended by 21 countries, including Indonesia and 14 international organizations. As the participants announced the extension of the assistance totaling about US$4.7 billion, it was confirmed that Indonesia's financial needs for fiscal year 2000 would be satisfied.

   Related Information (Japan-Indonesia Relations)
   
3. Announcement on the Multilateral Steering Group Meeting of the Middle East Peace Process

   Mr. Harada: My third announcement is on the Multilateral Steering Group Meeting of the Middle East Peace Process. Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Shozo Azuma attended the ministerial meeting of the Multilateral Steering Group of the Middle East Peace Process which was held in Moscow on 1 February. This meeting was held to reinvigorate the multilateral track of the Middle East peace process which is an integral component of the Madrid Framework. As a result of this meeting, the Moscow Steering Group Ministerial Joint Declaration was issued. With recognition that progress in the multilateral track is related to and supports the bilateral track, Steering Group ministers pledged to invest the activities of the multilateral track with sustained commitment. Steering Group ministers also endorsed the proposal to hold formal multilateral working group meetings on water, the environment, regional economic development and refugees in the first half of this year. Steering Group ministers called on the parties concerned to reach an agreed comprehensive agenda for the Working Group on Arms Control and Regional Security with the goal of getting formal arms control and regional security activities under way within a few months. Japan believes that this ministerial meeting of the Steering Group sent a strong message at the political level to reconfirm the political will of the international community to assist the Middle East peace process. Japan, on its part, will continue to provide political and economic assistance for the promotion of this process. Japan will also play a leading role as Chairman of the Working Group on Environment which is to be held in Tunisia on 31 May and 1 June 2000.

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4. Questions relating to Japan's whaling activities

   Q: Last week the Prime Minister of New Zealand complained to Japan about whaling in Antarctic waters and sent a very strong message which Foreign Minister Kono replied to. Minister for Foreign Affairs Goff of New Zealand also replied saying that the Government of New Zealand is unconvinced that Japanese whaling in the southern ocean is necessary. That was his statement, however, as yet there has been no reply. I would like to know what Japan's position is regarding this program. I would like to know a little more about the program itself, the contents and a few more details.

   Mr. Harada: Regarding the technical points, I will have to refer you to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. However, I am able to share with you our basic position. As you correctly mentioned, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono recently sent a letter to his counterpart Minister for Foreign Affairs Phil Goff of New Zealand. Foreign Minister Kono explained the legitimacy of Japan's whale research program and, at the same, in his letter, expressed his belief that it is essential that the two countries deal with this issue in the right context and in the wider perspective within the framework of excellent friendship and cooperation that exists between our two countries.

   Japan's research program targeting minke whales is a legitimate research activity fully in compliance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. More than one hundred items of data have been collected from all samples taken in the research, and the report of the IWC Scientific Committee clearly states that the Committee highly valued this undertaking. It has been already confirmed by the Science Committee that such data cannot be collected solely by non-lethal research. The Committee also recognized that the results of the Japanese research are contributing substantially to the improvement of management of cetacean resources. The number of samples to be taken in the Japanese research program for the Antarctic minke whales is 400, with a 10% allowance. This figure has been calculated based on scientific requirements. Japan believes that its whaling research is legitimate and completely in accordance with the international agreement.

   Q: Is Japan going to answer this last statement made by Mr. Goff saying that he remains unconvinced of the necessity of the Japanese whaling? Is Japan going to make any further statement on this issue?

   Mr. Harada: I cannot say whether we need to explain further our position to New Zealand at this stage. However, I think that our position is clear and that the Government of New Zealand clearly knows the position of Japan.

   Q: Regarding this whaling project, there were some complaints about the whaling methods being used. It would seem that this is the problem of this whole issue because Japan maintains that it employs a legal method to kill the whales. I do not know whether the Government supports this method of whaling or not, but does it have any plans to put in place another set of whaling research methods?

   Mr. Harada: I am afraid I am not an expert on the methods of catching whales. However, as far as I understand, we do not see any need to change the means and methods of the program.

   Q: I do not know what happens to the whale after it has been caught. I would like to know what happens to the whale after it has been killed and taken onto the ship. What happens to the whale and what kind of research is carried out on it? It is sometimes mentioned on the news that there is some whale meat being sold in Japan. Could you tell me if there is a connection between this program and the meat which is being sold?

   Mr. Harada: The research is not being carried out for commercial purposes, it is non-profit making. At the same time, the utilization of whale meat, which is a by-product of the research, is an international obligation provided by the Convention. So, the meat is utilized. However, the resources gained from the sale of this meat are used to fund subsequent research programs and not for commercial profit.

   Q: Do you know, more or less, how much is earned this way in a year?

   Mr. Harada: I am afraid that I do not have the data with me.

   Related Information (THE MANAGEMENT OF WHALES)
   
5. Issues concerning the meeting between Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Shozo Azuma and Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov of the Russian Federation

   Q: What do you know about the meeting between State Secretary Azuma and Foreign Minister Ivanov?

   Mr. Harada: State Secretary Azuma met Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov of the Russian Federation during the Steering Group meeting of the Middle East peace process. Actually, State Secretary Azuma met almost all the participants of the meeting and had a short exchange of views. However, since Foreign Minister Ivanov was the chairman of this meeting, their meeting was very short.

   They exchanged views for five minutes and Senior State Secretary Azuma said to Foreign Minister Ivanov that Japan highly appreciated the initiatives taken by Foreign Minister Ivanov for the resumption of the multilateral consultation of the Middle East peace process and that Japan would like to assist this peace process in cooperation with Russia. Regarding the bilateral relationship, Senior State Secretary Azuma said the following: firstly, that Japan would welcome the visit to Japan of Foreign Minister Ivanov; secondly, that Japan would like to realize the significant development of Japan-Russia relations with the new Government of Russia after the presidential elections; thirdly, that even before the presidential elections, Japan would like to maintain close contact with Russia so that bilateral relations will not stagnate. In response these remarks, Foreign Minister Ivanov said that he was looking forward to visiting Japan.

   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)
   
6. Questions concerning the preliminary talks with North Korea and the establishment of a liaison office in East Timor

   Q: Do you have any update on the preliminary talks with North Korea and the establishment of the liaison office in East Timor?

   Mr. Harada: There is no new information concerning the preparatory meetings with North Korea. We are still consulting with the North Korean side and we have not come to any concrete conclusion yet. Regarding East Timor, we are preparing to open a sort of liaison office over there. However, this is still under preparation and we have not arrived at a concrete conclusion on the modality of the office or the timing of the opening of this office in East Timor yet.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   

   Q: Has Japan decided on a location for this office in East Timor yet?

   Mr. Harada: We are looking for an office in East Timor. However, I do not think that we have come to a final decision on which building they are going to use.

   Related Information (Timor-Leste Situation (Archives))