Press Conference 8 November 2002

1. Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Tyronne Fernando of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
2. Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Soledad Alvear Valenzuela of the Republic of Chile
3. Minister for Foreign Affairs to attend the Second Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Seoul
4. Question concerning the theater missile defense system
5. Question concerning the Japanese national who had been detained in China
6. Question concerning oil supply to North Korea by the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO)
7. Question concerning the two representatives from the North Korea Red Cross Society

1. Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Tyronne Fernando of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon, thank you very much for coming to this briefing. Today I have three announcements that I would like to share with you concerning the activities of Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi.

   Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will hold two meetings with two visiting foreign ministers this afternoon in Tokyo.

   The first announcement is the meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando. The two foreign ministers will discuss, among other things, the peace process in Sri Lanka, especially the activities of the Japanese governmental representative on this issue, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, who is currently visiting Sri Lanka, as well as the future support and assistance of the Government of Japan to the peace process in that country.

   Related Information (Japan-Sri Lanka Relations)
   
2. Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Soledad Alvear Valenzuela of the Republic of Chile

   The second announcement is about the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Chile, Maria Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, at Iikura Guest House this evening. Foreign Minister Kawaguchi and Foreign Minister Alvear are expected to have discussions on bilateral as well as multilateral issues, including economic issues of mutual concern and interest. They will also attend the signing ceremony of the diplomatic note on Japan's Cultural Grant Aid to Chile for the improvement of audio and writing equipment at the municipal theater in Santiago, Teatro Municipal de Santiago.

   Related Information (Japan-Chile Relations)
   
3. Minister for Foreign Affairs to attend the Second Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Seoul

   The third announcement is that Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will pay a visit to Seoul in the Republic of Korea to attend the Second Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies. This meeting will be held for three days from 10 November at the Convention & Exhibition Center (COEX) in Seoul. It will be designed to further promote democracy in the world.

   Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will be staying in Seoul for two days, Sunday and Monday, and she will come back to Tokyo on Monday night.

   Related Information (Japan-Republic of Korea Relations)
   
4. Question concerning the theater missile defense system

   Q: I heard that the Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith of the United States of America paid a visit to the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukio Takeuchi this morning. What were the matters that they discussed? What about the missile defense system?

   Mr. Takashima: They discussed various issues, including missile defense and the situation in North Korea. This is simply routine diplomatic exchange of views between the two allies and I am unable to explain the details at this time. However, the fact is that they have met and have had very fruitful and constructive discussions.

   Q: What is the position of the Government of Japan on the theater missile defense system?

   Mr. Takashima: Japan has been participating in development efforts for the theater missile defense system, which is a part of the ballistic missile defense system coordinated by the United States. We are engaged in the technological development, but that is something that we have already decided and things are underway, but no further decisions have been made.

   Q: Is there any policy change regarding the plans for the theater missile defense system?

   Mr. Takashima: There is no policy change.

   Related Information (Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements)
   
5. Question concerning the Japanese national who had been detained in China

   Q: What is your reaction to the statement by Mr. Kong Quan, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, about the activities of Mr. Hiroshi Kato, a nongovernmental representative who is said to have been involved in helping individuals defect from North Korea, that led to his being detained in the People's Republic of China?

   Mr. Takashima: We have no comment regarding the statement by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.

   Q: Is it possible that Mr. Kato may have violated criminal law in China?

   Mr. Takashima: We do not know if that is true or not and we have no comment.

   Q: Could you explain the difference in the positions of the governments of Japan and the People's Republic of China?

   Mr. Takashima: The difference between Mr. Kato's statement, mainly to the press, and the statement by the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry was about whether Mr. Kato had made a request for notification to the Japanese embassy about his whereabouts and about the fact that he was detained. We understand that Mr. Kato said that he had done so, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China said that they had not received any request. We are now asking the Chinese side to clarify the difference and provide more information.

   Q: Is the difference in the positions by the two governments a difference between the ministries of foreign affairs of Japan and the People's Republic of China?

   Mr. Takashima: It is not the difference between the two foreign ministries, but rather that the Japanese side is asking the Chinese side to provide more information.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
6. Question concerning oil supply to North Korea by the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO)

   Q: We understand that now there are discussions going on on several levels concerning North Korea. I heard that there is a rumor that the main issue is now the oil supply to North Korea, and that a supply of oil is on its way to North Korea. Do you know if anything has been decided, and what is the Japanese attitude on this subject?

   Mr. Takashima: Actually, the supply of heavy oil to North Korea is being done under the arrangement of KEDO. My understanding is that currently, the shipping for November is on its way from Singapore to North Korea. But there is no other decision so far. This issue, I expect, will be discussed when all the members of the KEDO system, including the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the European Union, meet in the future. This is part of the KEDO arrangement and a decision has to be made by all participating members.

   Related Information (The Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO))
   
7. Question concerning the two representatives from the North Korea Red Cross Society

   Q: I heard that the two representatives of the North Korean Red Cross Society who accompanied the five victims of abduction have been permitted to stay longer and are under the care of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Could you please clarify this?

   Mr. Takashima: We recognize that the two representatives are still here and their permission to stay has been extended by the Immigration Office of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not taking care of these representatives.

   Q: Is the North Korean Red Cross Society really a part of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies?

   Mr. Takashima: The Japan Red Cross has regarded the North Korean Red Cross Society as their counterpart when they held the various meetings and talks in terms of humanitarian assistance and issues concerning the missing people.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)