Comment by the Press Secretary on President Clinton's Decision on the Title III of the Helms-Burton Act

January 7, 1997

1. Japan has been expressing to the United States of America its concern that the Helms-Burton Act may constitute an extraterritorial application which is impermissible under general international law, and has been asking for a cautious implementation of the law.
   
   
2. As for the Title III, which provides for the liability of persons who traffic in property confiscated by the Cuban Government from the U.S. nationals after the Cuban Revolution, Japan has repeatedly sought the U.S. Government to postpone the effective date of the Title. In July 1996, President Clinton decided to suspend the right to file suits for six months.
   
   
3. The Japanese Government was encouraged by President Clinton's recent decision to suspend the right to file suits for another six months in extension of the decision in July 1996.
   
   
4. Japan seeks the continued prudent implementation of the Helms-Burton Law.
   
   
5. The democratization of Cuba is not yet sufficient, and Japan will continue its efforts to promote the country's decmocratization.