Press Conference, 16 June 2006

Return of their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to Japan following their visit to Southeast Asia
Emergency grant aid through international organizations for Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) from unrest in Timor-Leste
Earthquake disaster in Central Java, Republic of Indonesia: end of Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team (Self-Defense Forces [SDF] unit) activities
Assistance for Crossing the Bridge of Peace: Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security in Sudan project
Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the territorial dispute over the Bakassi Peninsula
Start of preparations for the dispatch of an election observation mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo
Exchange of Diplomatic Notes concerning the entry into force of the agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Malaysia for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
Visit to Japan by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and two other ministers of state of the Republic of Rwanda
Prof. Akiko Yamanaka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to visit Geneva
Prof. Akiko Yamanaka to visit Podgorica, capital of Montenegro
Second Tokyo Conference on Consolidation of Peace
Non-grant aid to Indonesia for the Project for Construction of Patrol Vessels for the Prevention of Piracy, Maritime Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons
Questions concerning the planned trip by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ) to Takeshima

I. Return of their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to Japan following their visit to Southeast Asia

Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Good afternoon, let me start the conference for today.

First, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan returned to Japan yesterday, 15 June, safe and sound after an eight day trip encompassing the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and Malaysia.

Related Information (Press Release)

II. Emergency grant aid through international organizations for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from unrest in Timor-Leste

Mr. Taniguchi: The second is about the unrest in Timor-Leste. In response to a (United Nations) UN flash appeal the Government of Japan decided on 13 June to provide emergency grant aid of US$5 million through the UN and other relevant organizations to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Timor-Leste.

Related Information (Press Release)

III. Earthquake disaster in Central Java, Republic of Indonesia: end of Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team (Self-Defense Forces [SDF] unit) activities

The third is about the Republic of Indonesia and Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Since 2 June an SDF unit has continued to provide the people in the earthquake-devastated region with medical and relief work. The unit will complete its mission today, 16 June, and withdraw by around the 22.

I am also very much proud to introduce that the unit has treated a total of more than 2,500 people and vaccinated about 1,500 people at two aid stations in Bunder and Prambanan, and on circuit in the eastern part of Yogyakarta province.

Related Information (Press Release)

IV. Assistance for Crossing the Bridge of Peace: Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security in Sudan project

The fourth concerns the Republic of the Sudan. A host of UN organizations such as the UN Mine Action Services (UNMAS) are going to implement a project called Crossing the Bridge of Peace: Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security in Sudan. To support the project the Japanese Government decided to extend assistance totaling slightly more than US$1.7 million through the Trust Fund for Human Security. The Trust Fund which I have just referred to was a brainchild of Japanese diplomacy. It was established in the UN Secretariat in March 1999. Over the last seven years it has supported more than 150 projects that each address various threats to human life, livelihood, and dignity.

V. Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the territorial dispute over the Bakassi Peninsula

The fifth is about the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On 12 June both countries' presidents signed an agreement regarding the territorial dispute over the Bakassi Peninsula in the presence of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. To welcome the signing the Press Secretary/Director General for Press and Public Relations issued a statement on 14 June.

Related Information (Press Release)

VI. Start of preparations for the dispatch of an election observation mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo

The sixth is concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the country presidential elections as well as elections for the National Assembly are due to take place on 30 July. The Japanese Government has decided to start making the necessary preparations for the dispatch of an election observation mission to the nation on the basis of international peace keeping law.

Related Information (Press Release)

VII. Exchange of Diplomatic Notes concerning the entry into force of the agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Malaysia for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

The seventh is about the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Japan and Malaysia. To make the agreement enter into force representatives of the governments of Japan and Malaysia exchanged Diplomatic Notes on 13 June in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The agreement will be made effective one month after that on 13 July.

VIII. Visit to Japan by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and two other ministers of state of the Republic of Rwanda

Eighthly, from the Republic of Rwanda, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation plus two other Ministers of State are now visiting Japan. They arrived on 11 June and are leaving on the 16, which is today.

IX. Prof. Akiko Yamanaka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to visit Geneva

The ninth is about the first ever meeting of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), due to take place on 19 and 20 June in Geneva, Swiss Confederation. From Japan, Professor Akiko Yamanaka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, will be attending. She will deliver a statement on Japan's human rights diplomacy. She will also give a speech on Japan's stance on disarmament diplomacy.

Related Information (Press Release)

X. Prof. Akiko Yamanaka to visit Podgorica, capital of Montenegro

Following this visit, and this will be my tenth item for today, Ms. Yamanaka will then visit Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro for two days, on 21 and 22 June as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's special envoy.

As you may know, on 21 May people in Montenegro voted in favor of the independence of Montenegro. The Japanese Government was involved in the Referendum Observation Mission. Ms. Yamanaka will bring with her a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Montenegro signed by Prime Minister Koizumi to recognize the now independent Republic of Montenegro.

Related Information (Press Release)

XI. Second Tokyo Conference on Consolidation of Peace

The eleventh item is about the Islamic State of Afghanistan. On 5 July the Japanese Government will hold the Second Tokyo Conference on Consolidation of Peace. President Hamid Karzai will come to Japan to attend the conference upon the invitation of the Japanese Government.

The first conference that took place in February 2003 was a path-breaking event to advance the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants (DDR) in Afghanistan. The DDR process was enacted eight months after that and is scheduled to end soon, by the end of this month. Over the course of the past three years more than 60,000 ex-combatants have been DDRed. Now an important task remains as regards illegal armed groups. The Afghani government is going to explain at the second conference about what should be done further for the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG).

Related Information (Press Release)

XII. Non-grant aid to Indonesia for the Project for Construction of Patrol Vessels for the Prevention of Piracy, Maritime Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons

The twelfth and last announcement is about Japan's non-grant aid to Indonesia. The aim is to help support the country's Project for Construction of Patrol Vessels for the Prevention of Piracy, Maritime Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons. It is a grant-aid amounting to up to 1,921 million yen. Using the money the Indonesian Government will build anew three ships which are expected to be delivered to Indonesia around the end of the 2007 Japanese fiscal year. Which ship-builder, likely be a Japanese one, will do the job is going to be decided through an open bidding process.

The three ships, each about 27 meter long and capable of carrying a dozen people, will be classified as Patrol Craft (PC), not Patrol Vessel Small (PS), were they to be ships for Japan's Coast Guard.

The three boats will be delivered to Indonesia with a degree of anti-bullet capabilities yet with no assault weapons like guns or heavy-caliber machine guns.

Related Information (Press Release)

XIII. Questions concerning the planned trip by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ) to Takeshima

Q: There has been a recent report that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly asked the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ) to cancel its planned trip to Takeshima Island. I was wondering if you could comment on this report, and if so what is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' stance or position with regard to reporters, whether foreign or Japanese, going to the disputed island?

Mr. Taniguchi: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been contacted by the FCCJ and was told that there exists such a plan as that to organize a trip to Takeshima. The problem is they seem to admit the claim of the Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) that jurisdiction of Takeshima be part of their sovereignty. In response to this planned trip Mr. Yoshinori Katori, Press Secretary, asked Mr. Daniel Sloan, President of the FCCJ, to come to his office. Mr. Sloan made himself available on 12 June and both had talks about this. Mr. Katori explained the Japanese Government's position, saying that the FCCJ's activity should better not be conducted in favor of one party or another.

My sense about this is that the press corps, the media, are supposed to be neutral and are supposed to report what is happening rather than cause any problems for either side. For that matter I am very much concerned about the repercussions that the FCCJ's activity might cause after this, after really conducting this visit. I am very much worried that their activity will cause a problem rather than be a report of issues of the day, the latter of which is, I think, the responsibility of the members of the press corps.

Q: Just a follow-up so, does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs think that the planned trip would actually affect the dispute? That it could actually fan the sentiments of the people in the ROK?

Mr. Taniguchi: Precisely because this is a disputed issue, the Japanese Government and the ROK Government have agreed not to make the issues to cause even more sentiment, to raise even more eyebrows on both sides. The guiding principle is that understanding that this is an important issue to be solved by both governments, we have to talk, we have to continue to talk, and we have to take time. For that matter as well, the sending of a group by the members of the press corps that are supposed to be very much neutral would be detrimental to either party, the ROK Government and the nation, and the Japanese Government and the nation.

Q: In the event that the FCCJ still pushes through with its plan what would be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stance?

Mr. Taniguchi: The FCCJ is a club, it is an independent entity, so we are requesting that they reconsider the trip. In response to your hypothetical question, I am not sure if there is anything that the Government of Japan can do further.

Back to Index