Press Conference 11 October 2005
- Japan's response to the disaster caused by the earthquake in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Emergency aid to the Republic of Guatemala for torrential rain disaster from tropical depression "Stan"
- Awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei
- Third meeting of the government consultations on the legal framework and improvement of business environment concerning investment among Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea (ROK)
- Question concerning meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka and President of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz
- Question concerning dispatch of Japan Disaster Relief Team
- Japan's response to the disaster caused by the earthquake in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Assistant Press Secretary Akira Chiba: Thank you very much for coming to the briefing. I should like to start by making a couple of announcements and then I would be happy to take questions.
The first set of information concerns Japan's assistance for the disaster caused by the earthquake on 8 October in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Japan has undertaken a series of assistance, and I would like to update you on what we have been doing.
On the day that the earthquake occurred, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka sent messages of condolences to Pakistan and India. The Government of Japan immediately decided to dispatch a Japan Disaster Relief Team to Pakistan. The team is now in Pakistan and engaged in rescue attempts. A team of 49 members left in the morning of 9 October, the day after the earthquake. On 10 October, 21 additional members of the Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team left Japan and headed to the disaster site.
In kind, the Government of Japan promptly decided to provide assistance worth 25 million yen to Pakistan, which consists of blankets, tents, water purifiers, generators, etc. On top of that, this morning the Government of Japan decided to provide grant aid of US$20 million to Pakistan for disaster relief.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also participating in the rescue attempts. Japan Platform (JPF), which is the organization for emergency humanitarian assistance, has decided to dispatch initial response missions, by employing a fund which had been contributed by the Government of Japan for JPF. Some staff of the missions have left on 9 October and others are heading toward the disaster site. The NGOs are Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) and Japan Center for Conflict Prevention (JCCP).
There are reports that Japan might send Self-Defense Force (SDF) helicopters to the site. At the moment the Government is trying to coordinate amongst ourselves as to how to deal with the issue. Nothing has yet been decided at this point, and I would like to save the rest of the related information for the off-the-record session later today.
- Emergency aid to the Republic of Guatemala for torrential rain disaster from tropical depression "Stan"
Mr. Chiba: There was another disaster that took place elsewhere, and that is tropical depression "Stan" which struck the Republic of Guatemala. Japan has decided on 7 October to provide 12 million yen worth of disaster relief equipment. That is about US$100,000. These are blankets, water purifiers, generators, and the like.
- Awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei
Mr. Chiba: The third announcement concerns the statement by Foreign Minister MACHIMURA on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, which says as follows:
I heartily congratulate the decision to Award the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize to the IAEA and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, its Director General.
The IAEA has made a great contribution to international peace and prosperity by promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and by maintaining and strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime through safeguards implementation to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes. In recent years, in particular, when the nuclear non-proliferation regime is faced with various challenges, the role of the IAEA has become increasingly important. Dr. ElBaradei has exerted strong leadership as the Director General for the past eight years and has greatly contributed to strengthening the organization.
I regard the Award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the IAEA and Dr. ElBaradei as a tribute to the contribution made by the IAEA to international peace and stability through maintaining and strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime under the strong leadership of Dr. ElBaradei and as an expression of the international community's expectation of IAEA's further activities.
Japan intends to continue its support so that the IAEA will be able to achieve such an important mission.
I believe you all know that Dr. ElBaradei and his organization received the Nobel Peace Prize, and Foreign Minister MACHIMURA has sent his congratulations to him.
- Third meeting of the government consultations on the legal framework and improvement of business environment concerning investment among Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea (ROK)
Mr. Chiba: My last announcement before taking questions is about the third meeting of the government consultations on the legal framework and improvement of business environment concerning investment among Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
This third meeting of the government consultations will be held from tomorrow, 12 October, and will end on Thursday, 13 October. From the Japanese side, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Bureau Satoru Satoh of the Foreign Ministry and Deputy Director-General for Trade Policy Seiichi Nagatsuka of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will attend. From the Chinese side, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Investment Administration Department Sun Peng of the Ministry of Commerce will attend, and from the ROK, we will have Director General of Asia and Pacific Trade Affairs Chung Bee-ho of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the ROK.
This meeting has been agreed upon by the leaders of the three countries last year in Vientiane. The first meeting was held in Beijing this May, the second meeting was held in Seoul in August, and this will be the third meeting concerning this matter.
Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
Related Information (Japan-ROK Relations) - Question concerning meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka and President of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz
Q: What will Foreign Minister MACHIMURA be discussing with President of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz this afternoon?
Mr. Chiba: As this meeting is yet to be held, I should like to refrain from making comments at this point in time.
- Question concerning dispatch of Japan Disaster Relief Team
Q: With regard to Japan's dispatch of the disaster relief team, is this the first time that Japan has sent the team since the tsunami?
Mr. Chiba: If my memory is correct, I think this is the first time since the tsunami disaster.
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