Press Conference 11 November 2003

1. Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kazunori Tanaka to visit Afghanistan
2. Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the WTO Appellate Body report on the US steel safeguard measures
3. Question concerning Mr. Tanaka's upcoming visit to Afghanistan
4. Questions concerning assistance to East Timor

1. Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kazunori Tanaka to visit Afghanistan

   Assistant Press Secretary Jiro Okuyama: Good afternoon. Today I have two announcements to make.

   As announced yesterday, Mr. Kazunori Tanaka, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, will visit Afghanistan from 11 to 16 November.

   Mr. Tanaka will carry a personal letter from Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister, addressed to Mr. Hamid Karzai, President of the Transitional Administration of Afghanistan. During his stay in that country, Mr. Tanaka will exchange views with dignitaries of the Transitional Administration about reconstruction assistance and the country's political process. He will also make an on-the-ground inspection around Kabul.

   Related Information (Mr. Kazunori Tanaka, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to Visit Afghanistan)
   Related Information (International Conference on the Reconstruction of Afghanistan)
   
2. Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the WTO Appellate Body report on the US steel safeguard measures

   Mr. Okuyama: Today, Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima issued the following statement.

   In the afternoon of November 10 (Japan time: 11) the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body circulated to the WTO Members a report which finds that the U.S. steel safeguards were inconsistent with WTO rules and recommends that the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) request the U.S. to bring its safeguard measures into conformity with WTO rules. Japan welcomes the Report confirming that the U.S. steel safeguard measures are in violation of WTO rules, and urges the U.S. to terminate its WTO incompatible safeguard measures without delay in accordance with the Report.

   Japan appreciates the Report, as it upholds the Panel's findings that the U.S. steel safeguard measures did not satisfy major requirements for imposing safeguard measures by upholding the claim by the Co-complainants comprising eight countries including Japan, and confirmed the inconsistency of the U.S. steel safeguard measures with WTO rules.

   On November 10, the Co-complainants including Japan issued a joint press statement welcoming the Appellate Body Report and urging the U.S. to promptly terminate its measures.

   Related Information (Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the WTO Appellate Body Report on the U.S. Steel Safeguard Measures)
   
3. Question concerning Mr. Tanaka's upcoming visit to Afghanistan

   Q: What is your expectation for the visit of the Parliamentary Secretary to Afghanistan?

   Mr. Okuyama: We have tried our utmost to contribute to the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and we are supporting the transition that is now taking place. We are watching with great interest how this transition process, which involves the establishment of the constitution, will move forward. We regard this visit by one of the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to demonstrate to the Afghanistan government, Japan's unwavering support for the Karzai administration.

   Related Information (Mr. Kazunori Tanaka, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to Visit Afghanistan)
   Related Information (International Conference on the Reconstruction of Afghanistan)
   
4. Questions concerning assistance to East Timor

   Q: Afghanistan and East Timor more or less have the same situation and they are going through the same process of nation building. Do you think that the Government of Japan will extend the same programs to East Timor?

   Mr. Okuyama: The short answer is yes. We would like to provide as much support as possible to the nation-building efforts of East Timor, just as we do to Afghanistan.

   Having said that, the conditions of the two countries are actually different. In the case of East Timor, we have focused our assistance on certain fields which are, we think, appropriate to the conditions of East Timor. To be more specific, the pillars for East Timor are firstly, human resources development, as well as agriculture and infrastructure building. We also regard it very important to assist in the consolidation of peace in East Timor.

   That is the reason why we provided, up until last October, engineering corps in the number of 522 and placed seven personnel at the headquarters. The number changed in late October, as I understand, so now we have about 405 troops for engineering which have replaced the previous one. We are also providing assistance to the refugees and the national reconciliation process.

   In terms of specific assistance, we steadily implemented the US$130 million over three years which we announced in the first Donors' Meeting for East Timor which took place in 1999. And then, we pledged up to US$60 million for three years in the sixth Donors' Meeting which took place in May last year. This portion is being steadily implemented. We are providing development studies through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and also emergency rehabilitation activities and assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

   We would like to cooperate with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reinforce the human resources development in East Timor.

   Q: I just want to confirm about the Japanese engineering corps because next year is the end of the term for the mission of the UN, so how about the Engineer Group? Will it continue on to the end following that?

   Mr. Okuyama: Japan's basic position is to provide as much assistance as possible, so whatever happens, our basic position will remain the same; that is, to provide an appropriate assistance for the nation-building efforts of East Timor.

   As regards what is going to happen to the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), whose Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General is now Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, following the expiry of its mandate in May 2004 will be a collective decision by the international community. That is something that we need to discuss with the rest of the international community.

   Whatever happens to UNMISET, I think there will be continuing support by the international community for East Timor and we would like to share in the appropriate responsibility in the international community's efforts for East Timor.

   Related Information (Japan-Timor-Leste Relations)