Top > Announcement > Press Conference by the Press Secretary of MOFA > 27 May 2010

Press Conference by the Deputy Press Secretary, 27 May 2010

  1. Speech by Prime Minister Hatoyama on the occasion of the International Conference on the Future of Asia
  2. Points from the Ministerial Meeting on Security in relation to the sinking of the Korean naval vessel, Cheonan
  3. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Fukuyama's participation in the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference
  4. NPT Review Conference
  5. VIP visits
  6. Questions concerning Japan's support for the Republic of Korea in the wake of the sinking of the Korean naval vessel, Cheonan
  7. Questions concerning the NPT Review Conference
  8. Question concerning the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting
  9. Questions concerning the visit of His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince to Sweden

  1. Speech by Prime Minister Hatoyama on the occasion of the International Conference on the Future of Asia

    2. Deputy Press Secretary Hidenobu Sobashima: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I would like to share with you at the outset several topics before inviting your questions.

    We have distributed the text of the speech by Prime Minister Hatoyama on the occasion of the International Conference on the Future of Asia hosted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. I don’t intend to explain in detail, except that in the third paragraph from the end, the Prime Minister mentioned what the Government of Japan will do in the wake of the report issued in the Republic of Korea on the sinking of the Cheonan. He said that, as you will notice, "Japan strongly condemns the sinking (by North Korea) together with the international community. Japan firmly supports the Republic of Korea and will closely collaborate not least with the United States as well as the other countries concerned, so as to have the entire international community respond to this situation in cohesion." I just draw your attention to this in his statement.

    In fact, the Prime Minister made this statement in the evening of last Monday, after he had issued his comment, after having a telephone conversation with the Korean President. So this is the introduction to what I would like to explain to you, that is the position of the Government of Japan in the wake of the report on the sinking of the Cheonan.

  2. Points from the Ministerial Meeting on Security in relation to the sinking of the Korean naval vessel, Cheonan

    3. Mr. Sobashima: Last Monday, 24 May, the government had a meeting of the ministers concerned under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, and this is the Ministerial Meeting on Security, and after the meeting the Chief Cabinet Secretary explained what the ministers were instructed from the Prime Minister in relation to this incident of the sinking of the Korean naval vessel.

    There are four points. The first is that the Government of Japan strongly supports the Republic of Korea. For this purpose Japan will strengthen coordination with the international community, particularly with the Republic of Korea and the United States, either bilaterally or trilaterally.

    The second is that the Government of Japan will immediately start consideration of new individual additional sanctions against North Korea.

    The third is that the Government of Japan will make every effort to have the bill on the cargo inspection passed in the Diet as soon as possible.

    The fourth is that the Government of Japan will ensure the safety and relief of the nation by continuing and strengthening information collection activities among others.

    Those four points were the instructions from the Prime Minister, and the government officials are working under these instructions.

  3. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Fukuyama's participation in the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference

    4. Mr. Sobashima: The third topic is State Secretary Fukuyama's participation in the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference.

    Mr. Tetsuro Fukuyama, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, will attend the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference in Oslo, Norway today, 27 May.

    The goal of this Conference is to strengthen coordination in the international community to quickly promote the initiatives of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), one of the major climate change counter-measures. A political document which decides the establishment of the REDD+ Partnership is going to be adopted.

    With regard to the assistance to the efforts of REDD+, Japan has pledged approximately 500 million USD over three years as part of the Hatoyama Initiative, and has already materialized into concrete projects of approximately 160 million USD in bilateral aid. Japan also intends to host a ministerial meeting on forest conservation cooperation and climate change in October 2010, upon the occasion of the 10th Conference of Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

    At the Oslo Conference, State Secretary Fukuyama will introduce these efforts of Japan, and express to the world Japan's intention to proactively contribute to REDD+. He is also scheduled to exchange views with relevant ministers from countries including Norway, which is hosting the Conference, and Mexico, which will host the 16th Conference of Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

    I deliberately informed you of this because this is a part of our initiatives and efforts or contribution toward COP16, against climate change.

  4. NPT Review Conference

    5. Mr. Sobashima: Next, we don’t have the paper, but I will orally inform you of the current stage of the NPT Review Conference. Last Tuesday, Foreign Minister Okada had a telephone conversation with Ambassador Suda, who is the head of the Japanese delegation attending the NPT Review Conference at this moment. The minister instructed the ambassador to make every effort for the purpose of having a final document adopted by the end of this conference, that is tomorrow, 28 May. We have been repeatedly explaining to you, we attach importance to this NPT conference, as we intend to promote nuclear disarmament. It is very difficult to predict what will happen at the end of this conference, but our team, the Japanese delegation, is making every effort to have a successful result.

  5. VIP visits

    6. Mr. Sobashima: We have already distributed the press release of the visit to Japan of His Excellency Mr. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. He will be coming to Japan from 30 May to 1 June as an official working visit guest. During his stay in Japan, the Premier of the State Council will be received in audience by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. Prime Minister Hatoyama will hold a summit meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao. The Government of Japan sincerely welcomes the visit of the Premier of the State Council, which will further strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and the People’s Republic of China.

    As for the visits, I think I already explained that the President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, His Excellency Mr. Juan Evo Morales Ayma, will be coming to Japan from 7-9 June, as a guest on an official working visit.

    For visits from Japan to participate in meetings, Mr. Koichi Takemasa, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, will be visiting Paris to attend the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting and also the WTO Informal Ministerial Meeting hosted by Australia. Also, as announced earlier, in the Republic of Korea there will be trilateral summit meetings of Japan, China, and Republic of Korea on 29 and 30 May.

    Another piece of information is that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince will be visiting Sweden, as he was invited to the wedding of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Sweden. The visit is planned between 17 and 21 June. The wedding ceremony of the Crown Princess of Sweden will take place on 19 June.

    These are the topics I would like to share today. Now I would like to invite your questions.

  6. Questions concerning Japan's support for the Republic of Korea in the wake of the sinking of the Korean naval vessel, Cheonan

    7. Q: You said that the Government of Japan will support South Korea in its efforts to...?

    Mr. Sobashima: I read a rather direct translation from the Japanese language original. These instructions were made in the wake of the statement made by the President of the Republic of Korea, so there were many points that were included in the President's statement. In order for the Republic of Korea to pursue those objectives, Japan will support the Republic of Korea. For example, I understand the President requested North Korea to find those responsible and punish them, among other things, and maybe the Republic of Korea will be raising this in the international fora for discussion, so there are many measures that the Republic of Korea intends to pursue. Japan will support those initiatives of the Republic of Korea. That is the meaning.

    Q: Why do you think about additional sanctions for North Korea?

    Mr. Sobashima: That will go back to the findings of the international group, not only of the Korean people, but also the other people who are involved in the investigation, and the Government of Japan finds it convincing that North Korea is responsible for the sinking. Immediately after the report was issued, the Prime Minister made a comment, and he supported the report. That's why.

  7. Questions concerning the NPT Review Conference

    8. Q: You mentioned with regard to the NPT conference that the Minister instructed the ambassador. What is the name of the ambassador?

    Mr. Sobashima: His family name is Suda.

    Q: When is this NPT conference going to end?

    Mr. Sobashima: Tomorrow, 28 May, New York time.

  8. Question concerning the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting

    9. Q: Is the OECD Meeting that Mr. Takemasa is going to going to be held in Australia?

    Mr. Sobashima: No, in Paris. The OECD Ministerial Meeting is an annual meeting, and on the occasion of this meeting Australia is hosting informally a ministerial meeting on the World Trade Organization (WTO). So the meeting will be held in Paris.

  9. Questions concerning the visit of His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince to Sweden

    10. Q: And the Crown Prince will be visiting Sweden from which date?

    Mr. Sobashima: 17 May to 21 May.

    Q: And the visit is for the wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden?

    Mr. Sobashima: That's right.

    If there are no further questions, thank you very much for coming.

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