Press Conference 22 June 2001

1. Questions on the visit to Japan by President Saadi el-Gadhafi of the Libyan Football Association
2. Question with regard to relations between Japan and the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
3. Questions on import tariffs imposed by the Government of the People's Republic of China
4. Question on the visit of Director General Gen Nakatani of the Defense Agency to the United States of America
5. Questions with regard to the Northern Territories

1. Questions on the visit to Japan by President Saadi el-Gadhafi of the Libyan Football Association

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon.

   Q: I read today that Japan has invited Saadi el-Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader, to Japan, and this invitation is being made by the Foreign Ministry. Do you have more details on this issue?

   Mr. Harada: You are referring to President Saadi el-Gadhafi of the Libyan Football Association, the son of Colonel Muammar el-Gadhafi of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya? Yes, you are correct, President el-Gadhafi will visit Japan on the invitation of the Government of Japan and the Japan Football Association from the 28 June to 7 July. President el-Gadhafi's stay in Japan from 4-7 July will be on a private basis.

   Arrangements for President el-Gadhafi's visit are still in progress, but on 29 June we are planning to arrange a meeting with Senior Vice-Minister Seiken Sugiura, and on the same day, Director-General Toshinori Shigeie of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau will host a dinner for President el-Gadhafi.

   Related Information (Japan-Libya Relations)
   
2. Question with regard to relations between Japan and the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

   Q: What is the latest on Japan's position toward Libya?

   Mr. Harada: Since the suspension of United Nations Security Council sanctions against Libya, in April 1999, Japan has been making efforts to establish a relationship with Libya in political, economic, and cultural areas in a balanced approach. You may remember that last year, in February, Secretary for Economy and Trade Mahmud Zlitini visited Japan, and in September, then Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kiyohiro Araki visited Libya. So, we have started a political dialogue at a high level. We hope that President el-Gadhafi's visit will be meaningful and productive.

   Q: The United States recently extended sanctions against Libya, so does Japan worry that in approaching Libya it might anger the United States?

   Mr. Harada: We have our own position and relationship with Libya. I believe that the Government of the United States of America will recognize this, and consequently I do not think that the US side will be angered by this invitation. As I said, we have already over the last year started a political dialogue at a high level with Libya, and we did not have any problem vis-à-vis the United States. As usual, we maintain very close contact with the United States, and I do not think that any misunderstanding exists about this visit on the US side.

   Related Information (Japan-Libya Relations)
   
3. Questions on import tariffs imposed by the Government of the People's Republic of China

   Q: I would like to ask you about China's imposition of import tariffs on Japanese-made cars and mobile phones. I think lots of remarks have already been made about the issue, but what would you say is the position of the Japanese Government on these measures by China?

   Mr. Harada: Yesterday, 21 June, the Government of the People's Republic of China notified the Government of Japan that it would impose a 100% special tariff, in addition to the current import tariff, on the import of automobiles, mobile phones and air conditioners starting from today, 22 June. In response to this notification, Ambassador to Beijing Koreshige Anami immediately lodged a strong protest to Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Long Yong Tu.

   As you know, the Chinese Government had announced that it would take this measure, and since that announcement we have repeatedly claimed the withdrawal of such a decision. We strongly regret that despite our approaches the Chinese Government implemented this measure, and we reiterate our appeal to the Chinese side to retract its decision. When we applied provisional safeguard measures related to three agricultural products, namely, onions, shiitake mushrooms, and tatami omote, these measures were taken in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) related agreements, and we have repeatedly explained this to the Chinese side. We will continue to urge the Chinese side to respond constructively and calmly to resolve the issue, based on the WTO-related agreements and the Japan-China trade agreement, and we would like to solve the issue through bilateral consultation.

   Q: Do you think it is possible, or are you planning any sort of retaliatory action or measures against China? Also, I am unsure of the system, but do you plan to submit some sort of complaint to the WTO, or will you solve this issue merely by bilateral consultation?

   Mr. Harada: At this stage, I can only say, as I did beforehand, that we would like to solve the issue constructively and calmly based on WTO agreements and the bilateral Japan-China trade agreement through consultation. We have already made a request to the Chinese side for such consultations.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
4. Question on the visit of Director General Gen Nakatani of the Defense Agency to the United States of America

   Q: The Japanese Defense Agency Director General is on his way to the United States, or he is already there. Do you have some background about the main objective of this visit?

   Mr. Harada: The main objective of this visit by Director General Gen Nakatani of the Defense Agency to the United States is to conduct security dialogue with his US counterpart, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield. This is the first occasion for a security dialogue at the ministerial level under the new administration of President George W. Bush. As you know, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit the United States at the end of this month. Thus, together with the visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka to the United States this week, Defense Agency Director General Nakatani's visit will also serve as preparation for the visit by Prime Minister Koizumi to the United States.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
5. Questions with regard to the Northern Territories

   Q: On the Northern Territories, according to reports yesterday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaka is considering putting all four islands together, but we have been made to understand that the Government might talk on two islands first. How should we understand the Government's approach--four islands together or two islands first?

   Mr. Harada: Let me give you an explanation of our basic position on the four islands, as I think that will answer your question. We should conclude a peace treaty by resolving the issue of the attribution of the four islands, namely, Kunashiri, Etorofu, Habomai, and Shikotan. Our position is that once the Russian Federation accepts that the sovereignty of the four islands belongs to Japan, we can be flexible in terms of the timing, modality and conditions of the return of the four islands. You said, "two islands first" versus "all four islands together"-but that is a sort of media story. What I just said is our basic position and that position has not been changed.

   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)