(* This is a provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only. The original text is in Japanese.)

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiji Maehara

Date: Friday, January 14, 2011, 9:25 p.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room

Main topics:

Opening Remarks
- (1) Reappointment Address
Reorganization of Cabinet
Visit to South Korea

1. Opening Remarks

(1) Reappointment Address

Foreign Minister Maehara: I would like to first explain what kind of instructions I received from the Prime Minister and then I will answer your questions.
Prime Minister Kan gave me written instructions consisting of seven points. I will read them out to you all.

Deepen the Japan-US alliance in a way that is fitting to the 21st century. In collaboration with relevant ministers, swiftly promote necessary measures with regard to the relocation of Futenma Air Station and reduction of the burden of military bases in Okinawa in accordance with the Japan-US agreement of May 28, 2010.
Toward achieving global peace and prosperity, make utmost efforts under international cooperation to resolve various issues such as nuclear disarmament, elimination of nuclear weapons, and UN peacekeeping activities.
On the basis of the “Basic Policy on Comprehensive Economic Partnerships”, implement necessary measures to bring about high-level EPAs and FTAs. With regard to consultations on TPP, step up and promote necessary efforts on the basis of the “Basic Policy on Comprehensive Economic Partnerships”.
With the robust Japan-US alliance as a foundation, strengthen collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region and aim at creating an East Asian community in the future.
In order to eradicate the threat of terrorism, provide active support toward reconstruction of poverty alleviation in Afghanistan et.al.
Pour utmost efforts toward resolving the North Korean nuclear, missile, and abduction issues and other problems.
In addition to promoting global warming countermeasures, work in close cooperation with relevant ministers so that Japan can fulfill a leading role in the international arena.

Those were the written instructions I received from the Prime Minister.

For my part, I would like to have the same Minister, State Secretary, and Parliamentary Vice-Minister promote economic diplomacy, infrastructure export, establishment of a free trade system, which should be even freer, consultations on EPAs, FTAs, and the TPP, multilateral development of resources and food diplomacy, as well as tourism, especially increasing inbound tourists so that they would contribute to the Japanese economy and the employment situation. I would like to make efforts with these firmly positioned at the center. Meanwhile, another important pillar is to further strengthen and deepen the Japan-US alliance because Japan's security and the stability of this region will in turn lead to the development of Asia as the world's growth center. We would like to make efforts toward that end as well as make efforts to strengthen cooperation with various countries -- especially strengthening the relations with countries that share the same values and further reinforcing collaboration with them. I look forward to continually receiving your advice and guidance.

2. Reorganization of Cabinet

Nanao, Niconico Doga: Consequent to the reorganization of the Cabinet, Mr. Sengoku has been removed from his post as Chief Cabinet Secretary. During his tenure, there have been a wide range of diplomatic issues, and he has dealt with these together with you. Please tell us your thoughts on Mr. Sengoku as Chief Cabinet Secretary, in the course of your collaboration with him, or your views of him as a politician.

Minister: He is one of the Diet members currently active in politics that I most trust and respect. It saddens me greatly that he will no longer be in the Cabinet, and I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for his efforts during his tenure, and the important role that he has played.
When we had the issue of the Chinese fishing trawler, although he had to handle a great deal of criticism single-handedly, we worked together, doing our utmost to improve relations between Japan and China, and I think that the role played by Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku was enormous.
And although you may be thinking only of Japan-China relations, he also has personal contacts in a wide range of other countries, for example South Korea going back many years. He leveraged those contacts in efforts to strengthen relations between Japan and South Korea, and such contacts also helped us. In terms of relations with the United States as well, in addition to his own contacts, Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku also has a large group of advisors who have valuable information, and he has also played a crucial role in advancing diplomacy between Japan and the United States.
Although Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku’s new role will be as the party’s acting secretary-general, given his personality, I doubt that he will remain quiet on the sidelines. I also hope to continue to collaborate with him in a wide range of forms, both direct and indirect, and receive his guidance for the sake of, not the Democratic Party of Japan, but Japan (as a whole), and Japanese diplomacy.

Inada, NHK: You said just now that you most trust and respect Mr. Sengoku, who has now left the Cabinet. He has been replaced by the new Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Edano, with whom you have an equally close relationship. Reflecting on the new Kan Cabinet, what do you see as the characteristics of this Cabinet?
Also, before the reshuffle, the Kan Cabinet was greatly beset by problems with handling of opposition parties, and by money-politics problem. With this fresh start, how does the Kan Cabinet, and how do you, as a member of the Cabinet, intend to move forward on these two major issues?

Minister: A little over a year and about four months have passed since the change of governments. I was Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for just about one year, and then I have been working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the past nearly four months. From the year and four months of my experience, my view is that the party in power must certainly carry out the policies that it puts forth.
I still have many things left, and we have made changes from promises that we made; for example, the most symbolic issue is the relocation destination of Futenma. Despite the fact that during the election, we said that Futenma would be moved outside the prefecture at least, and if possible outside the country, in the end it has returned to Henoko by way of the agreement (between Japan and the United States) of May 28th.
Although I therefore think that sometimes we must apologize for what we have been saying, and that there are things that we must change after explaining to the Japanese people, I think that what is really important is to produce results, and I think that the Cabinet must live up to its words, and in this administration, this Cabinet must continue to properly recognize its responsibility to do this, and produce results.
When I think back on my tenure as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, I think that to a certain extent, there are cases where conclusions are reached immediately regarding unneeded legal amendments. For example, tourism increased, and when I took over the post, 670,000 new homes were being built per year, and for example, we introduced eco points for homes, and revised the Building Standards Law, and expanded the exemptions for the gift tax, and by introducing measures like these, by the time I left that post, in short after one year, the number of new home constructions had increased to about 840,000. We also successfully converted Haneda into an international airport. Although I was widely criticized, I began a fundamental overhaul of Japan Airlines, which the Liberal Democratic Party had been putting off for a long time, and some of these projects are now going well.
Meanwhile, with regard to the issue of eliminating tolls for expressways, although the final form has not yet been determined, and also with regard to the revision of our vision for our rivers, including Yanba Dam, to a certain extent, these issues will require some time, and we have also selected and focused on our public works, through the revision of our public works. There had been 126 designated key ports, and I narrowed this number considerably. In order to pass the management of these ports to the private sector, however, it will be necessary to revise the Harbor Law. In other words, if your plan of actions includes revisions to laws, then one year is not enough time. In order to achieve a result, one must spend a year passing laws, and then results will begin to appear. I think that it is important to explain again thoroughly to the Japanese people that we will do this over four years; however, as we have made these promises, I think that it is important to produce results. In particular, I have pledged to take a position of economic diplomacy, so I think that the results will be easy to track down. We will contribute to the Japanese economy by showing results: whether this will really go well; with whom we will create EPAs and FTAs, or from whom we will get infrastructure contracts; how much tourism will increase; and how much we have achieved with resource diplomacy, in a multifaceted way. This is also the case for bilateral relations. The question of how relations with a given country have changed is actually an aspect that the Japanese people can observe severely with a fixed reference point, so in this sense, we will advance these having these checked by people. In this sense, I truly think that this second Kan Cabinet must concretely live up to its words, as I mentioned before. I intend to work with this conviction.

Inada, NHK: With regard to your handling of the opposition parties and the issue involving Mr. Ozawa, how do you think a new start should be made considering those people who were dragging down the administration before the Cabinet reshuffle?

Minister: Since we do not have sufficient seats in the Upper House, we need to deal with the opposition parties as a fundamental problem. At this point, I think that we will be calling on them to hold consultations on each policy. However, when we were in the opposition, we also did not agree to hold consultations that easily. Therefore, we do not know whether the current opposition parties will take up our offer.
Nevertheless, I believe that what is important is to approach the upcoming Diet session by having the Cabinet members with Prime Minister Kan at the helm, the three politically appointed officials, and all 412 Diet members thoroughly explain to the people where Japan is heading and what kind of mission this administration is charged with, as well as by maintaining a strong spirit that would even move the opposition parties.
As for the issue involving Mr. Ozawa, the party, centering on General Secretary Okada, should make a decision at a meeting of party executives, and as Mr. Ozawa himself had said at the time of the party presidential election that he had no reluctance to making an explanation before the Diet, he should boldly give an explanation, and the DPJ should make a fresh start this year as a party that can be seen by the people as a party that can firmly conduct positive discussions and one that will be able to produce results. That is how I feel.

Kamide, Freelance: In connection with what you just mentioned, you said at the beginning that you received seven instructions from the Prime Minister. In comparison to the Liberal Democratic Party and in retrospect, what are the points that you can say that progress has been made? Please give your explanation as a way to make an appeal to the people.

Minister: Are you talking about diplomatic issues?

Kamide, Freelance: Yes, and although the order of priority may of course be one through seven in that order, if you have anything to add, please do so.

Minister: I do not recall that there was an LDP administration that spelled out economic diplomacy up front. As a result of the misdeeds of the LDP administration, the population has diminished. In other words, they failed to implement any possible measures to deal with the issue of declining birth rate, and this has brought about a situation in which the population has been declining this much. In addition, the declining birth rate and aging population has steadily progressed. At the same time, the massive fiscal deficit has also been generated under LDP administrations.
However, this precisely caused a change of government. It is useless for us to start criticizing the LDP over that. We have been given an opportunity to change that, so with that as a given premise, how can we revive the Japanese economy, and while there are such restricting elements, what can we do to make Japan better tomorrow than today and better the day after tomorrow than tomorrow and to make the Japanese people feel hopeful? I believe that one of the fundamental elements with regard to that is the economy. We must revive the economy. Perhaps that word can be rephrased as “growth”. While the entire government will be promoting a new growth strategy, it is important for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to thoroughly do what it can and thereby create a situation in which tax revenue would increase, more jobs would be created, and economic vitality would increase so that Japan can gain the respect of the international community. I believe that such progress has been made with regard to this so-called economic diplomacy.
Specifically, in terms of EPAs, there are India and Peru, and in terms of resource diplomacy, there have emerged -- even after I assumed this post -- such developments as joint development of rare earths with such countries as India, Vietnam, the United States, Australia, and Mongolia. In addition, there are other matters such as securing contracts to build nuclear power plants in Vietnam or the revitalization of negotiations on EPAs and FTAs. In that sense, I believe that there has emerged an atmosphere to make political decisions to properly address issues that have been shelved, and results have started to appear. I believe that it is important for us to fully accomplish these things.

3. Visit to South Korea

Anai, Yomiuri Shimbun: You mentioned earlier that the Japan-US alliance is a public asset and that the Japanese Government intends to place priority on collaboration with countries that share the same values. Within that context, while you are to visit South Korea tomorrow on an extremely tight schedule, what do you expect to accomplish through your visit to South Korea?

Minister: One of the things I want to accomplish is to further strengthen the bonds of Japan-South Korea relations. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of Japan’s annexation of Korea. Today, I met with South Korean Ambassador Kwon, who said: "This year is the first year of a new century. Let us make this the starting year. Let us make it a year to further promote future relations." I hope to make confirmations about further accelerating exchanges in various areas such as personnel exchanges and economic exchanges.
The second thing is that as issues involving North Korea -- as issues in which South Korea itself was challenged -- there were incidents last year such as the sinking of the Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. We must firmly support South Korea's position and aim at stabilizing the Korean Peninsula while collaborating with the United States and South Korea. At the same time, I believe that in dealing with North Korea with all its problems such as the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the missile issue, and the abduction issue, which concerns Japan, we must work together with South Korea, the United States, China, and Russia to confirm how to handle these issues as well as carry out full coordination.
In any case, we hope to further strengthen Japan-South Korea relations in the process of confirming such matters as the substance of cooperation and the pace of dealing with specific pending issues, considering this year as the year for taking the first step toward another century of cooperation while sharing the same values for the peace and stability of this region.

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