Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Shooting of President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

January 18, 2001

1. The Government of Japan was astonished at the news that Mr. Laurent Désiré Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was shot at the presidential palace in the afternoon of January 16 (local time), and is deeply concerned about the incident.

2. Though the capital city of Kinshasa remains calm at the moment, Japan strongly hopes that the domestic situation including public order will not be deteriorated by this incident. The incident should not be a trigger for intensified strife among the conflicting parties, and Japan requests all the related parties to sincerely observe the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, which is supported by the international community including Japan.

Related Information (Japan-the Democratic Republic of Congo Relations)