Internet Press Chat Conference 22 September 2005
- Japan-Republic of Korea summit talks on the telephone
- Japan-People's Republic of China Consultations concerning the East China Sea and Other Matters
- Holding of US-Australia-Japan Counter-Terrorism Talks
- The 24th Meeting of the Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista of the United Mexican States
- "Workshop on Vocational Training" as part of G8-BMENA Partnership Initiative
- Grant aid (food aid) to Burkina Faso
- Follow-up question on Japan-China Consultations
- Question concerning Japan-North Korea dialogue
- Question concerning courtesy call of Governor of Okinawa Keiichi Inamine
- Follow-up question concerning "Workshop on Vocational Training"
- Question concerning Gulf Cooperation Council
- Japan-Republic of Korea summit talks on the telephone
Assistant Press Secretary Akira Chiba: Good afternoon. Thank you for joining the regular chat conference. Today I am standing in on behalf of Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is traveling around the world. Let me make several announcements before I take questions.
At 12:00 22 September, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President Roh Moo Hyun of the Republic of Korea (ROK) talked over the telephone for about 10 minutes. President Roh congratulated Prime Minister Koizumi again on his victory in the recent general election.
Responding to President Roh's remark appreciating Japan's efforts for the adoption of a joint statement at the Six-Party Talks, Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his gratitude and confirmed to him that both Governments would continue close cooperation.
President Roh also appreciated the firm attitude expressed by Prime Minister Koizumi toward the normalization with North Korea. In response, Prime Minister Koizumi said that the policy remains unchanged and that Japan, in light of its cooperation with the United States of America (US), would deal with North Korean issues, which Japan regards as the most important matter for both Japan and the ROK.
President Roh said that the development of the Six-Party Talks and the dialogue between Japan and North Korea was significant and that these talks would make a fresh starting point for the peace and stability, as well as the joint prosperity of Northeast Asia. Prime Minister Koizumi said that Japan intends to have close ties and contact with the ROK so that the situation would develop exactly as expressed in the joint statement of the Six-Party Talks.
At the end of the talks, Prime Minister Koizumi told President Roh that he was looking forward to welcoming President Roh to Japan within this year.
- Japan-People's Republic of China Consultations concerning the East China Sea and Other Matters
Mr. Chiba: Japan and the People's Republic of China have agreed in principle to hold the Japan-China Consultations concerning the East China Sea and Other Matters sometime at the end of this month in Tokyo, the date of which will be specified later. The Japanese delegation will be headed by Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Kenichiro Sasae of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attended by Director-General Nobuyori Kodaira of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, and other officials concerned from relevant ministries and agencies. At the Consultations, the participants will discuss the development of natural resources in the East China Sea and other issues.
- Holding of US-Australia-Japan Counter-Terrorism Talks
Mr. Chiba: US-Australia-Japan Counter-Terrorism Talks will be held on 21 and 22 September in Washington, D.C., US.
Participants on the Japanese side will be officials concerned headed by Ambassador in charge of International Counter-Terrorism Tadamichi Yamamoto; on the US side, officials concerned headed by Coordinator for Counterterrorism Henry Crumpton; and on the Australian side, officials concerned headed by Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism Les Luck. At the talks, participants will take up wide-ranging issues on the situation of international terrorism and counter-terrorism measures as a whole.
- The 24th Meeting of the Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy
Mr. Chiba: The 24th Meeting of the Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy will be held on 26 September at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. Members of the Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy including Mr. Toshio Watanabe, President and Chairperson of Takushoku University, will be attending the meeting. At this meeting, members are expected to discuss Country Assistance Programs (Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Kazakhstan), among other matters. The Board on Comprehensive ODA Strategy was launched in June 2002 with the aim of realizing public participation in official development assistance (ODA), enhancing the transparency of ODA, and reinforcing the functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate ODA by, among other means, formulating Country Assistance Programs.
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista of the United Mexican States
Mr. Chiba: Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista of the United Mexican States and his spouse will visit Japan from 23 to 27 September. During his stay in Japan, Mr. Derbez will have meetings with Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka, and will be received by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince. Mr. Derbez will also attend the closing ceremony of the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan on 25 September. The Government of Japan sincerely welcomes Mr. Derbez's visit, which will further strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and Mexico.
- "Workshop on Vocational Training" as part of G8-BMENA Partnership Initiative
Mr. Chiba: A "Workshop on Vocational Training" will be held in Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 28 and 29 September. The workshop will be co-hosted by the Governments of Japan and Jordan in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Representatives of Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) countries, the Group of Eight (G8), international organizations as well as regional organizations and business associations will participate in the workshop. Secretary General of Education Tayseer Al-Nahar Al-Noaimi of Jordan and Deputy Director General of the Economic Cooperation Bureau Shiro Sadoshima of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will co-chair the workshop to share information on the employment situation and challenges, highlighting good examples in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and will discuss, among other matters, the best ways to meet the needs for expanding job opportunities.
- Grant aid (food aid) to Burkina Faso
Mr. Chiba: As part of the assistance to Africa that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced at the Asian-African Summit that was held in the Republic of Indonesia in April this year, the Government of Japan has decided to extend grant aid(food aid) of up to 300 million yen(approximately 269 million USD) to the Government of Burkina Faso. This grant aid is intended to alleviate the food shortage in Burkina Faso and will be used to purchase rice. Notes to this effect were exchanged on 21 September in Abidjan, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, between Japanese Ambassador to Burkina Faso Tetsuro Shioguchi(stationed in Cote d'Ivoire) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Burkina Faso to the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Emile Ilboudo.
- Follow-up question on Japan-China Consultations
Q: Sir, do you have any updates on the date of the Japan-China gas talks? How do you see the prospects that something substantial would come out from these talks?
Mr. Chiba: The date of the Japan-China talks will be forthcoming, but unfortunately not at this stage. The Japanese side has repeatedly raised to the Chinese side several substantial issues, and it is our hope that they will give us a concrete response.
- Question concerning Japan-North Korea dialogue
Q: On another key bilateral issue-Japan and North Korea-do you have any updates on the bilateral dialogue between Japan and North Korea to discuss abduction and other outstanding issues? When exactly will it be held?
Mr. Chiba: On Japan and North Korea, again we are still waiting for the date to be finalized and I have no update at this stage.
I would like to refresh your memory that the issue of the East China Sea is that of China claiming the entire East China Sea as their territorial waters or exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as opposed to Japan maintaining that a fair median line should be agreed upon by both sides to assure equity. We are asking the Chinese side to provide us with information as to their findings of the drilling, the request to which the Chinese side fails to respond to this day.
- Question concerning courtesy call of Governor of Okinawa Keiichi Inamine
Q: Currently, Governor of Okinawa Keiichi Inamine is holding talks with Foreign Minister MACHIMURA. What is the purpose of his visit? Do you have information about this?
Mr. Chiba: We understand this as a courtesy call following Foreign Minister MACHIMURA'S reappointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Since the meeting is still ongoing at this very moment, I am not in a position to disclose its outcome now. Related information will be made available to you at a later stage.
- Follow-up question concerning "Workshop on Vocational Training"
Q: Could you give us more details about G8-BMENA in Jordan? Is this the first time that Japan will co-host this workshop?
Mr. Chiba: At the G8 Sea Island Summit held in June last year, Japan pledged to provide assistance in the fields of education and literacy for the next three years for the benefit of 100,000 individuals, plus in the field of vocational training for the benefit of 10,000 individuals. This workshop is the realization of this pledge.
The idea of holding a workshop was launched in December last year, and this is the first time that Japan will co-host such an undertaking. The aim is to introduce good practice of vocational training, and discussions will be held as to how vocational training should best respond to the demands of the local market. The workshop will be followed up for the coming three years with agreement with BMENA countries. The venue for the following workshops is yet to be decided. The results of this workshop will be announced this coming November in the State of Bahrain at the second meeting of the Forum for the Future.
- Question concerning Gulf Cooperation Council
Q: On 17 September in New York, Foreign Minister MACHIMURA asked Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa of Bahrain, who is currently Chairman of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whether Bahrain backs Japan's bid to gain a permanent seat on the Security Council. Did Foreign Minister MACHIMURA also get support from the other five members of the GCC or just from Bahrain?
Mr. Chiba: Japan values the unchanged support for Japan's aspiration concerning Security Council reform expressed by many countries. I would like to refrain from disclosing related information at this delicate stage, but I sense there to be a growing consensus emerging in the United Nations (UN) favoring reform including the countries you are interested in.
Thank you for joining us today. As it seems that you have no more questions, I would like to end today's Regular Internet Chat Press Conference. Have a nice weekend. See you at the next Regular Internet Chat Press Conference.
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