Press Conference 4 October 2005
- Invitation to Japan of ex-students from the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Mongolia
- Series of bombs in Bali, the Republic of Indonesia
- Election of Chief of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Invitation Program for Columbian Small and Medium Enterprises
- Tenth consultations between the consular authorities of Japan and the Russian Federation
- Cultural grant aid to the Republic of Turkey
- Cultural grant aid to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- Grant aid to Iraq
- Meeting of ASEAN Plus Three Director Generals
- Counterterrorism measures of the Government of Japan
- Question concerning assistance to Indonesia
- Questions concerning Japan-China Consultations concerning the East China Sea and Other Matters
- Question concerning recent collision of Japanese and Israeli ships
- Invitation to Japan of ex-students from the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Mongolia
Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: I will start today's press conference by introducing one of the longstanding initiatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is to invite ex-students from countries like the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Mongolia. Ten people from China, nine from the ROK, and two from Mongolia are now touring Tokyo mostly at the invitation of the Foreign Ministry. So far more than 1,900 ex-students from these countries and elsewhere have visited Japan as a reunion among those students. Now a total of 21 ex-students are visiting Japan. Today they are going to see rakugo, and yesterday, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shuzen Tanigawa held a reception for these students which I attended. There was a lively discussion among those people. Most of them are professors in China, the ROK, and Mongolia. That is the first item.
Let me just quickly run through the other announcements.
Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
Related Information (Japan-ROK Relations)
Related Information (Japan-Mongolia Relations) - Series of bombs in Bali, the Republic of Indonesia
Mr. Taniguchi: First, about the tragic terrorist attacks in the Republic of Indonesia.
Many people including some Japanese citizens were killed and injured by a series of bombs this last Saturday on 1 October in Bali, Indonesia. The Government of Japan expresses sympathy for those killed by the bombs and sends condolences to the bereaved families. We also express sympathy for those injured and pray for their early recovery.
- Election of Chief of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Mr. Taniguchi: Mr. Yukiya Amano, Ambassador to the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organization in Vienna, was elected Chief of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) just yesterday on 3 October.
- Invitation Program for Columbian Small and Medium Enterprises
Mr. Taniguchi: Five people from Columbian Small and Medium Enterprises will visit Japan from today, 4 October, to 13 October, at the invitation of the Government of Japan. This is an invitation program for Columbian Small and Medium Enterprises. If you are interested in who are participating from what sort of companies, I can give you details later on.
- Tenth consultations between the consular authorities of Japan and the Russian Federation
Mr. Taniguchi: The tenth consultations between the consular authorities of Japan and the Russian Federation will be held on Tuesday, 11 October, here at the Foreign Ministry. The consultations will be attended by Director-General of the Consular Affairs Bureau Yasuaki Tanizaki of the Foreign Ministry on our side and Director of the Consular Department Vyacheslav Aljfredovich Pavlovskii of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Russian side. They will be talking about such issues as visa waivers.
- Cultural grant aid to the Republic of Turkey
Mr. Taniguchi: The next two items are about official development assistance (ODA).
The Government of Japan has decided to extend cultural grant aid of up to 288 million yen to the Government of the Republic of Turkey for the "Project for the Construction of Kaman-Kalehoyuk Archeological Museum." The exchange of notes was held on Friday, 30 September, in Kaman between Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey Tomoyuki Abe and Director General for Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs Sule Soysal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.
- Cultural grant aid to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Mr. Taniguchi: Next is an ODA project to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The Government of Japan has decided to extend cultural grant aid of up to 39.7 million yen to the Government of Jordan for the "Project for the Improvement of Audio-Visual Equipment of the Royal Cultural Centre." The exchange of notes was held on 30 September in Kaman between Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Koichi Obata and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali of Jordan, upon demand by Jordan to purchase the audio-visual equipment of the Royal Cultural Centre.
- Grant aid to Iraq
Mr. Taniguchi: Similarly, there is another grant aid which has just been decided. It is to support image diagnostic technology training for doctors in the Samawah area, Iraq. From 4 to 28 October, the Government of Japan will provide image diagnostic technology training, that is, ultrasound and radiation imaging, in Japan to nine doctors working for medical institutions in Samawah and its suburbs in the Governorate of Al Muthanna in the southern part of Iraq. This is going to be held in Japan, and we will do this as part of the programs of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
- Meeting of ASEAN Plus Three Director Generals
Mr. Taniguchi: Also, I would like to announce that the Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three Director Generals is going to be held tomorrow, 5 October, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Kenichiro Sasae is going to attend, as well as director generals from China, the ROK, and ASEAN nations.
The issue to be discussed concerns the preparations for the East Asia Summit which is to be held in December in Kuala Lumpur, among other issues.
- Counterterrorism measures of the Government of Japan
Mr. Taniguchi: The last item that I should like to announce before taking questions is about Al Qaeda. As you know, Japan, along with other nations, has been freezing financial assets and has made an arrangement whereby permission is necessary each and every time people who are regarded as members of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups conduct financial transactions, based on the resolutions of the United Nations (UN). So far the total number of the individuals and organizations had been 481, but one individual has been added to the list of those people and organizations.
- Question concerning assistance to Indonesia
Q: Concerning the recent terrorist bombings in Indonesia, the Japanese Government has expressed its readiness to provide more assistance to Indonesia. Have there been any formal requests from the Indonesian side?
Mr. Taniguchi: Not yet. The Japanese Government always expresses interest in helping those nations tackle terrorism. However, so far as official announcements are concerned, we have received none.
- Questions concerning Japan-China Consultations concerning the East China Sea and Other Matters
Q: On the gas talks with China that took place over the weekend, could you give us your view on the prospects for the next round of talks later this month? If there is some agreement on the joint development of these gas fields, will there not be then conflict over how to share the gas that is brought to the surface?
Mr. Taniguchi: The topics you mentioned are exactly the topics that are on the table of the negotiations. In terms of scheduling, what I can say to you is that that should be done as soon as possible. We are hoping that we can meet again within this month, in October, but that is all. For the moment, that is the only thing that I can tell you.
Q: This is not being seen as a kind of retreat by Japan in agreeing for the first time, according to reports, that joint development is an option?
Mr. Taniguchi: Retreating from what if you can be specific?
Q: Retreating from the position that China must stay well behind the median line and not do anything that might squander Japanese gas supplies.
Mr. Taniguchi: Not that I know of. I think there has been no such retreat of any kind.
Q: As a follow-up, are there any plans for Japanese companies now to establish a presence in those areas, the companies that won the bidding a few months ago?
Mr. Taniguchi: Permission has already been given to a company called Teikoku Oil Co., Ltd. There is no plan at the moment for them to start operating.
Q: Do you know why there is no plan? Is that their decision?
Mr. Taniguchi: You should ask the company.
- Question concerning recent collision of Japanese and Israeli ships
Q: Regarding the recent incident in which an Israeli ship accidentally collided with a Japanese ship, are there any new updates?
Mr. Taniguchi: So far I know as much as you know perhaps. Israeli authorities have been very much cooperative about this. They have agreed to send specialists to Hong Kong, and the company that owns this specific ship has said people from the company will be coming to Japan and meeting with the families of the victims and so on. Other than that, I do not think there is much more to add.
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