Telephone Conversation between the Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK)

July 3, 2006

1. For about 20 minutes from 20:20 on July 3, Mr. Taro Aso, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a conversation over the telephone with Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea (ROK).
2. Mr. Ban explained the ROK Government's policy of conducting a sea current research in July which it had already planned to carry out.
3. In response to this explanation, Mr. Aso again urged Mr. Ban to either halt or postpone the research, considering that it would be extremely regrettable if the ROK Government were to carry out the planned research despite the fact that the Japanese side had repeatedly requested mutual self-restraint from conducting marine scientific research.
4. Mr. Ban replied that the situation was difficult.

Related Information (Japan-ROK Relations)