Press Conference 1 June 2001
- Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia
- Question on a recent statement by the Japanese Red Army
- Questions on negotiations in the State of Kuwait involving Arabian Oil Co.
- Question on the impact of the situation in the Middle East on Japan
- Question on proposals for internal reform within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Question on Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) aid to Myanmar
- Questions on a visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka to the United States of America
- Questions related to National Missile Defense (NMD)
- Questions on the schedule of Minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaka
- Question on the outlook for the ODA budget
- Questions on sanctions against Iraq
- Question on the passing of a Palestinian leader
- Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have one announcement to start with concerning the visit to Japan of Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Sen will visit Japan from 6-14 June. During his stay, Prime Minister Hun Sen will attend the Cambodia Consultative Group meeting hosted by Japan on 12 and 13 June, and he will also meet with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and others.
Related Information (Visit to Japan of His Excellency Mr. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia)
- Question on a recent statement by the Japanese Red Army
Q: I read a report two days ago in the press that said the Japanese Red Army announced that it had stopped existing as such an organization and it might change to something like a political party. I am wondering if the Japanese Government has any comment to make on this?
Mr. Harada: I also read news reports on the statement by the Japanese Red Army, but I am not familiar with the original statement itself. Also, I do not know whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in a position to make a direct comment on that statement. However, I can make two indirect comments: Firstly, the Government will continue to follow carefully and closely the activities of the Japanese Red Army; secondly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to cooperate with authorities concerned for the arrest of the seven members of the Japanese Red Army that are now fugitives, for whom an international search is underway.
- Questions on negotiations in the State of Kuwait involving Arabian Oil Co.
Q: On another issue related to the company Arabian Oil, which announced, I think two days ago, that it started negotiations with the Kuwaiti government to extend the company's drilling rights in Kuwait, was Japan involved in, or supportive of, these negotiations?
Mr. Harada: I understand that on 28 May the Kuwaiti Supreme Petroleum Council decided that the Ministry of Oil of the State of Kuwait would start negotiations with the Arabian Oil Company on drilling rights. The Government of Japan welcomes this decision and hopes that the negotiations between Arabian Oil and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Oil proceed smoothly and successfully.
Q: What do you mean by successfully?
Mr. Harada: That the negotiations come to a successful conclusion.
Q: Do you mean to extend the rights?
Mr. Harada: I do not know whether it might be referred to as an extension or not, since it may relate to a new contract. In any case, the Government hopes that the contract negotiations will be concluded successfully.
Q: Do you consider this issue is still related to Japanese security and energy policy?
Mr. Harada: In broad terms, yes.
Related Information (Japan-Kuwait Relations)
- Question on the impact of the situation in the Middle East on Japan
Q: Do you consider indirectly that the escalating situation in the Middle East, basically between Israel and the Palestinians, is affecting the energy security of Japan?
Mr. Harada: The Middle East peace process is, as you know, facing a difficult situation at this moment. However, I do not think that we can say we are sensing a direct effect of that situation in terms of Japan's energy situation.
Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
- Question on proposals for internal reform within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Q: I believe the Foreign Minister was supposed to come up with reform proposals, internal reform proposals, by the end of May, and it is already June. When do you expect the compilation to be completed?
Mr. Harada: I think the senior vice-ministers and the parliamentary secretaries are making the final study on the reform proposals. I expect that Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka will study the reports. But I am afraid I cannot give you a concrete date on when we can announce that report; I can only say that we hope we can deliver a report as soon as possible.
- Question on Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) aid to Myanmar
Q: I believe some groups came over to the Foreign Ministry to protest about Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) aid to Myanmar, that the system is not based on basic human needs. What is the Foreign Ministry's response to that?
Mr. Harada: I do not have the read-out of the meeting that you referred to, and so I can only reiterate Japan's basic aid policy toward Myanmar. We consider aid toward Myanmar taking into account progress in human rights and democratization; we consider aid for ongoing projects or projects of basic human needs on a case-by-case basis, but we do not extend large-scale new project aid.
Related Information (Japan's ODA)
Related Information (Japan-Myanmar Relations)
- Questions on a visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka to the United States of America
Q: Can you tell us whether Foreign Minister Tanaka will be visiting the United States, and if so when?
Mr. Harada: As you know, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaka hopes to visit the United States of America to meet with US Secretary of State Colin Powell as soon as possible. We are now coordinating with our US counterparts to fix a date that is convenient to both sides, but we have not yet come to any concrete decision.
Q: Will it be before Prime Minister Koizumi meets President Bush?
Mr. Harada: The meeting will hopefully take place before Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the United States. However, I do not know how it will unfold, as the arrangements depend on the schedules of the foreign ministers.
Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
- Questions related to National Missile Defense (NMD)
Q: In the newspaper this morning it was reported that Minister Tanaka, on the sidelines of ASEM in China, told the Italian Foreign Minister that she had questions on issues related to National Missile Defense (NMD). Can you confirm whether she said this or not?
Mr. Harada: Actually, I cannot confirm that; it is not the practice to disclose the content of bilateral meetings. I can only repeat the basic position of the Japanese Government on missile defense. The five key points are as follows:
The Government of Japan shares the recognition with the United States that the proliferation of ballistic missiles is causing a serious threat to our security.
Japan and the United States are conducting cooperative research on ballistic missile defense technologies. As such, bilateral cooperation is important for the security of Japan, and we will continue to cooperate on this research.
The Government of Japan expresses the understanding that the United States is considering the missile defense program while making various diplomatic efforts to address the proliferation of ballistic missile.
The Government of Japan welcomes President Bush's reference, in his recent speech, to further cuts in nuclear weapons.
Finally, the Government of Japan hopes that the missile defense issue will be dealt with in a manner that is conducive to the improvement of the international security environment, including in the areas of arms control and disarmament. Japan welcomes the US side's renewed announcement of conducting close consultations on this issue with allies and such other interested states as the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China.
Q: You said the official stance of the Japanese Government remains unchanged on this issue. What does this mean? Do you mean that the Government cannot change the stance?
Mr. Harada: The position that I stated is unchanged.
Q: But if what the Foreign Minister said were true, it would be a contradiction within Japanese diplomacy. I think this would be trouble?
Mr. Harada: As I said, I cannot give you any information on the content of the bilateral meetings. I do not believe the Foreign Minister takes a position that contradicts that of the Government.
Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
- Questions on the schedule of Minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaka
Q: There have been media reports that Minister Tanaka will be meeting with Prime Minister Koizumi this afternoon. Do you know anything about this?
Mr. Harada: No, I do not have any information on that.
Q: I heard that the Foreign Minister also wants to visit South Korea in the near future. Has the Ministry started contacting the South Koreans?
Mr. Harada: We do not have any concrete plans at this stage for a visit by Foreign Minister Tanaka to the Republic of Korea.
Q: Are you aware that she wants to?
Mr. Harada: It may be so, but we do not have any plan.
Q: You mentioned that the Foreign Minister wants to visit the United States as soon as possible. Do you mean that this visit is urgent, is it for some reason?
Mr. Harada: The visit is not urgent in the sense that it is required to solve some pressing issue. But naturally, the Koizumi cabinet attaches great importance to Japan's relationship with the United States. And when Foreign Minister Tanaka had a telephone conversation with Secretary of State Powell, she expressed her hopes to meet her US counterpart as soon as possible. Given that Prime Minister Koizumi will visit the United States, I think Foreign Minister Tanaka wants to make a visit at an early date to prepare for the Prime Minister's visit.
Q: Do you expect that she will visit Mr. Armitage?
Mr. Harada: First we have to decide on the dates for the visit and then fix the schedule of appointments. At this stage, I have to say nothing has been decided yet.
- Question on the outlook for the ODA budget
Q: On the ODA, I heard two reports mentioning that Mr. Koizumi and Ms. Tanaka stated that they wanted to review or reduce ODA in next year's budget. Do you have any details about their plans?
Mr. Harada: We have not made any concrete decisions on the ODA budget for the coming financial year, but I can say that given the economic and financial difficulties, we recognize that we must make efforts to make ODA more effective and more efficient.
As you know recently, on 23 May, we established the Second Roundtable Conference on ODA, which is comprised of members from academia, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations. This body will review ODA, discuss what ODA should be, and they will come up with recommendations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take note of the recommendations to be presented.
Related Information (Japan's ODA)
- Questions on sanctions against Iraq
Q: I heard that the US government is trying to promote so-called smart sanctions against Iraq. What is Japan's position toward this?
Mr. Harada: Concerning the United Nations Security Council resolution?
Q: Yes.
Mr. Harada: A draft resolution is now being considered by members of the Security Council, and although Japan is not a member of the Security Council, we have a keen interest in how this draft resolution will end up. I do not have a concrete comment on the content of the draft resolution itself, but I can give you our general position. In regard to sanctions on Iraq, the Government of Japan believes that the negative effect on the ordinary Iraqi people should be minimized, and if the resolution has the effect of improving the humanitarian situation of the Iraq people, I think we will respond positively to such a resolution.
Q: You said that the negative effects on the ordinary Iraqi people must be minimized. Maybe some parties expect that these effects should be eliminated, not minimized?
Mr. Harada: Of course, if that can be done at the same time that measures are maintained which have an effect on the Iraqi government, if such measures can be found, then that would be fitting, but I am not sure that such measures can be found.
Related Information (Japan-Iraq Relations)
- Question on the passing of a Palestinian leader
Q: I heard in a report yesterday that there was a Palestinian leader in Kuwait who died of a heart attack. He had been influential in the peace process. I am wondering if you had any comment?
Mr. Harada: I do not have materials relating to that event. I can only restate Japan's position on the Middle East peace process. We hope that the Israeli and Palestinian sides stop the violence as soon as possible and return to the negotiating table.
Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
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