Press Conference, 30 May 2006
- Japan's assistance for earthquake disaster in Central Java, Republic of Indonesia
- Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso on the 2+2 process
- Other announcements and statements
- Follow-up questions concerning the visit to Japan by the Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda
- Question concerning the Meeting of the Four Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on the Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka
I. Japan's assistance for earthquake disaster in Central Java, Republic of Indonesia
Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Good morning, may I start the conference for today? Let me begin by announcing what Japan has been doing both publicly and privately for the rescue of the Indonesian people that were hit by a devastating earthquake. Japan has already pledged emergency grant aid that amounts to US$10 million (1.11 billion yen) and emergency equipment equivalent to US$180,000 (approximately 20 million yen).
Already a group of Japanese experts sent both by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has started its operations, followed soon by another team of medical experts. As you may know already the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) has also decided to send its medical unit. Today on 30 May a group of experts is flying over to the Republic of Indonesia to collect relevant information so that they will be followed by a larger group of experts soon.
Some of the Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been even quicker in rushing to the rescue in Indonesia.
For instance, if you go to the website www.tokushukai.jp 
you will see the Tokushukai group, that is a group of hospitals spreading nationwide, has been very quick in sending their experts to Indonesia.
Another NGO called the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) that is based in Okayama Prefecture is on spot helping the Indonesians. From that organization someone called Mr. Kazuyuki Tateno has already been in the town of Solo since 29 May and Dr. Mikio Hosomura from Saitama, Ms. Akiko Minegishi, who is a nurse, from Hokkaido, and Mr. Mutsuo Ishizawa from Hiroshima, he is an expert in relief operations, are flying over to Indonesia today from Kansai Airport to be joined by another Japanese expert already operating on-site.
Another NGO called the Japan Platform that has been specializing in relief efforts across the world is also doing a lot in helping provide medical assistance to the people in Indonesia. The death toll is rising and Japan is committed to continuing its effort in providing this sort of aid to Indonesia. That is briefly about what Japan is now doing in terms of the earthquake that hit Indonesia.
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II. Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso on the 2+2 process
Mr. Taniguchi: Also there was a Cabinet decision, an important one, made earlier today this morning.
After the meeting Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso gave a stakeout to some of the members of the press in which he said, let me just sum it up briefly, that there is going to be no use if the United States of America (US) and Japan have agreed in terms of the 2+2 Meeting and yet cannot implement the actions agreed by that agreement. Therefore it is all the more important for Japan to actually carry out the decisions made at the 2+2 Meeting.
In response to the question on the effectiveness of the US-Japan agreement, Foreign Minister Aso answered by reiterating that in order for the Government of Japan to actually carry out the decisions there has to be a greater degree of cooperation among the relevant ministries, and once again said that it is very much important to do what it has been agreed to do.
In response to another question about the degree of opposition still seen in Okinawa Prefecture about things like relocating Futenma Air Station to another place, Foreign Minister Aso said that there certainly is a degree of opposition. This is not limited to this issue, it is rather commonplace when it comes to issues such as this that local communities have reservations and oppositions. That is exactly the reason why it is very much important for the Japanese Government to keep on trying their best to talk to the people concerned, in this case, the people in Okinawa. So that is what Foreign Minister Aso said in the stakeout after the Cabinet meeting.
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III. Other announcements and statements
Mr. Taniguchi: There are other materials and announcements made available for the press, and let me just briefly read out only the headlines from those materials. After that I will take questions.
I have already said about Japan's assistance for the earthquake disaster.
The next one is a statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the continuation of the detention under house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. There is a statement by the Press Secretary already available. That is the second one.
The third one is about what is called the 2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS under the United Nations (UN) General Assembly's Special Session.
The next one is about the visit to Japan by the Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda.
The next one is about the visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Festus Gontebanye Mogae, President of the Republic of Botswana.
Also there is going to be a meeting called the 12th Consultations on Consulate Issues between Japan and the People's Republic of China.
IV. Follow-up questions concerning the visit to Japan by the Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda
Q: Regarding the visit of Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Spencer from Antigua and Barbuda, what kinds of issues will probably be discussed between these talks?
Mr. Taniguchi: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Spencer will have talks, first with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Foreign Minister Aso, and after that with government officials. That is basically about promoting bilateral ties between Antigua and Barbuda and Japan. No specific details are available at the moment, I am afraid.
Q: I understand that Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), and I was wondering if the whaling issue would be discussed between the two sides.
Mr. Taniguchi: They may or may not discuss that issue, but I am not in a position to pre-state what is going to be discussed. You are thinking of the IWC meeting that is scheduled to take place in mid-June, but I cannot say exactly at the moment what they will be discussing between them.
Q: But suppose that if in case the whaling issue would be discussed, is it most likely Japan would seek the support of the nation towards whaling?
Mr. Taniguchi: The margin between the pro-whalers and anti-whalers still remains paper-thin. It is all the more natural for governments like Japan's to try to convince as many countries as possible of how important it is for the world community to continue scientific whaling. So you should not be surprised if that issue is raised during the meeting. But again, I cannot pre-state what the prime minister from Antigua and Barbuda and the Japanese ministers will be discussing.
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V. Question concerning the Meeting of the Four Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on the Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka
Q: On a totally different item, for the Four Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on the Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka meeting, I was wondering what Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs want to accomplish from this meeting and how different it is from the one three years ago regarding the same situation?
Mr. Taniguchi: I should brief you on that later on, but generally speaking, when the foreign minister from Sri Lanka met with Foreign Minister Aso earlier this month the Japanese side reiterated that a peaceful settlement would be vitally important. Even though it takes time, talks rather than violent means must always be promoted. Those positions will be made apparent, made sure, again and again during the meeting. But when things have been made clearer I will come back and brief you on that.
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