Press Conference 8 March 2002

1. Announcement of the Seminar on the Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan
2. Statement regarding efforts toward Middle East peace
3. Questions regarding the raising of the unidentified vessel

1. Announcement of the Seminar on the Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan

   Deputy Press Secretary Joji Hisaeda: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I have two announcements to make today, the first of which is on the Seminar on the Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan.

   The Seminar on the Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, will be held on 12 and 13 March in Bahrain.

   The seminar will be attended by a number of scholars and experts from Japan, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Republic of Tunisia, the Republic of Yemen, and the League of Arab States.

   At the seminar, the participants will exchange opinions on such themes as "Coexistence and interaction between Islamic and Arab countries and Japan", "Islam and international society", and "Islam and globalization" under the theme of "Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan".

   Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
   
2. Statement regarding efforts toward Middle East peace

   Mr. Hisaeda: My second announcement concerns the Middle East. The Government of Japan, believing that the United States of America should continue to be involved in the Middle East peace process, welcomes and appreciates the announcement by President George W. Bush yesterday that he will again dispatch Ambassador Anthony Zinni to the Middle East.

   The Government of Japan also appreciates the proposal by Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. Japan considers this proposal an epoch-making step to expedite the Middle East peace process. Japan strongly urges that both the Israelis and the Palestinians, without missing this opportunity, restart negotiations in order to put an end to the vicious circle of violence and realize genuine peace in the region, in accordance with the Tenet plan and the Mitchell report. Japan is determined to support any efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.

   Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
   
3. Questions regarding the raising of the unidentified vessel

   Q: Regarding the unidentified vessel, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that it would be raised by May. Is that true? The press also reported that Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan of China is opposed to the raising of the vessel. Will this be considered when making a decision? China also seems to have raised concerns about using force in the Chinese exclusive economic zone. Do you have a comment on that?

   Mr. Hisaeda: First of all, the decision has not been made as to whether the ship will be raised. Secondly, despite all press reports, it is not my understanding that Minister of Foreign Affairs Tang Jiaxuan of the People's Republic of China stated categorical opposition to the raising of the ship. I understand that the Chinese Government has repeatedly stated that Japan should handle this issue carefully, and Japan would like to make efforts to provide China with necessary information on this issue. Thirdly, I believe that the action by the Japan Coast Guard was made in response to illegal actions by the unidentified vessel and was appropriate and perfectly lawful under established principles of international law. Finally, I would like to refer to the statement made yesterday by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda that no decision has been made about what the Government is going to do with the sunken unidentified vessel, but Japan will do whatever is necessary while maintaining close contact with China.