Press Conference by Press Sec. 13 January 1995

Summit Meeting between President William Clinton of the United States of America and Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
Acting Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kishichiro Amae: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. In a few moments, I think Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's special flight will land in Japan, and I would like to comment on the day before yesterday's Summit Meeting between Japan and the United States of America. I shall not make a detailed comment, because it has already been in the press, but the Summit Meeting was a very significant and successful one in that, at the beginning of 1995, which is the year of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, both leaders confirmed bilateral cooperation and wide-ranging cooperation on issues of a global scale -- such as environment, population, AIDS and women in development, which was added on Prime Minister Murayama's initiative. Also, they agreed to promote dialogue in the field of security between the two countries, and to promote cooperation for the success of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting and Economic Leaders' Meeting, which is due for November in Osaka. Prime Minister Murayama used the words, "creative partnership" between Japan and the United States. This Summit Meeting is the beginning of this creative partnership for the future. They touched upon other issues, such as bilateral economic issues, the North Korean question -- the creation of the Korean Energy Development Organization (KEDO), for which Prime Minister Murayama stressed that Japan is ready to play a significant financial role in the construction of the light-water reactors.
The 17th Japan-U.S. Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange
Acting Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kishichiro Amae: Second is the announcement of the 17th Japan-U.S. Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange. This Conference is to be held on 19 and 20 January in Tokyo, attended by leading figures from both countries: from the Japanese side, Mr. Shoichi Saba, who is Advisor to the Board of Toshiba; and from the United States side, Professor Kenneth Pyle of the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. They are going to discuss ways and means to strengthen bilateral cultural and educational interchange, including the strengthening of exchange programs of university students, and to seek means to ameliorate communication between the two countries. This Conference is, in fact, based upon the Government-Government agreement which was made in 1961 between then-President John F. Kennedy of the United States, and then-Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda.

Q: I presume this Conference which is to take place on 19- 20 January concerning Japan-U.S. culture and education will eventually result in an increase of American students coming to Japan, because we were told that, whereas about 40,000- 50,000 Japanese study in the United States, there are only about 1,500 Americans studying here. Wouldn't you consider this an artificial stimulus to what we know about the present trend, a slight distancing of the two nations, and a slight coming closer of Asia and Japan; despite the high yen and everything, there are more Asian students from the relatively poorer countries who are coming here to study than Americans coming here to study. Now, aren't you going against the natural trend by financing something like this?

A: You are quite right that there is a very big imbalance, not an imbalance of trade, but an imbalance in the number of exchange students between Japan and the United States. Only 1/10th as many American students are studying in Japan as there are Japanese students studying in the United States. We would like to encourage American students to come to Japan for study. In this sense, we took various measures, such as the JET Program, in which the Government of Japan finances students or youth from the United States or other English-speaking countries -- and recently, not only English-speaking, but French, German and others are involved -- to give stimulus for young students to come to Japan to teach English while studying Japanese. Altogether, they number about 3,000, and they are scattered all over Japan, and this gives opportunity for local Japanese people to get acquainted with American students. We are going to think of further measures to give stimulus to this trend. Is this an adequate answer to your questions?
Second Japan-China Meeting on Security
Acting Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kishichiro Amae: The third announcement is the Second Japan-China Meeting on Security, which is going on at this time here in Tokyo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting is being attended by: on the Japanese side, Director-General of the Asian Affairs Bureau Yutaka Kawashima and other Foreign Ministry officials, as well as Defense Agency officials; and from the Chinese side, Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs Fu Xuezhang of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, and Senior Colonel Jun Hong of the Ministry of National Defense of China, and others. They will touch upon the question of security in the Asia Pacific region, and an exchange of views will take place on the Korean Peninsula situation and the security of the Northeast Asian region. They will explain their individual defense policies, including discussion of arms control and disarmament issues. Finally, they may touch upon future ways and means of promoting this dialogue on security questions, as well as exchange in the field of defense authorities. By the way, the first meeting was held in December 1993; that was for diplomats only. In March 1994, it was held for defense authorities only. This time, the Second Japan-China Meeting on Security is being participated in by both the diplomatic and defense authorities of the two countries.
50th anniversary of the end of World War II
Q: This reference to creative partnership -- with the United States it is understandable, because on the 50th anniversary there could be certain emotional outbursts particularly from the United States, and I can understand the U.S. Postal Service's issue of a stamp was an indicator of what might happen. But, what about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Government of Japan initiating some sort of creative partnership with the Asian countries, because, after all, on the same occasion, the 50th anniversary, you could have anti-Japanese protests, a revival of the anti-Tanaka protests of 1974. Is there anything on the anvil, or was something like that discussed during Prime Minister Murayama's visit late last year?

A: Concerning the 50th anniversary, various events -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono and Secretary of State Warren Christopher of the United States exchanged views, and they have the same view that those events would be directed toward forward-looking events, taking into consideration the emotions of both countries. To your question concerning Japan and Asian countries, I would like to ask you to recall Prime Minister Murayama's statement on 31 August 1994, in which the Government of Japan expressed strong remorse and self- reflection, and promised to create a program with two pillars, to look back on past history with a sincere point of view: for this purpose the Government of Japan has been working to create an Asian Historical Document Center where Asian scholars and Japanese as well can study the things of the past; the second one is a rather forward-looking project to enhance dramatically the exchange of youth, including giving scholarships to Asian students who will come to study in Japan, and vice versa. So, at that time he didn't use the particular words, "creative partnership," but we have a very strong attachment to the Asian countries, which was expressed clearly in Prime Minister Murayama's statement.
Situation in Chechnya in the Russian Federation
Q: Today, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe of the European Union (EU) is going to make a statement in an accusatory vein regarding the Russian army attack on Chechnya. Also, the Deputy Spokesman in the United States is planning to make a speech at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); according to the report, this Russian attack has a possibility of being against the Budapest Document, and this Deputy Spokesman is going to make a speech at the meeting. Now, it is Japan's turn to show an attitude toward the Government of the Russian Federation. Do you have any comment on this issue?

A: That is a very important question. The Government of Japan has already informed the Government of the Russian Federation through our Embassy in Moscow when Ambassador Koji Watanabe met Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Panov of the Russian Federation on 9 January, saying that the Government of Japan is worried about the aggravation of the battle from a humanitarian point of view because many civilians are involved and are victims. We asked the Russian Government to restore peace in Chechnya in order to save the lives and security of the citizens there. This is our Government's firm position. We know that Minister for Foreign Affairs Alain Juppe of the French Republic and the United States Deputy Spokesman made announcements with rather strong content, saying that it might be a violation of the OSCE agreement that every Member State has to inform on movements of its army, even for domestic reasons. Japan is not a member of the OSCE; we have only the right of a special observer post. In spite of that difference in status between OSCE members and Japan, we are of the same line -- we would like to insist on an early cease fire between the Russians and Chechens to restore peace. Foreign Minister Panov answered Ambassador Watanabe's request, saying that he would immediately pass this message from Foreign Minister Kono to Minister for Foreign Affairs Nikolai Kozyrev of the Russian Federation.
Security issues in Asia
Q: After the U.S.-North Korea nuclear deal, to my recollection this is the first statement made by the Foreign Ministry of Japan referring to security of the Northeast Pacific at a Government level so far. Do these Japan-China talks portend a higher profile role for both Governments in discussing organizing and the Northeast Pacific role in the future?

A: As you know, the Cold War is over, after the demise of the Soviet Union, and the Government of Japan is seeking means for further confidence building measures -- first by having the bilateral exchange of views with the Chinese, and also with the Russians -- and at the same time it is worthwhile recalling, in the Asia Pacific region, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which contains not only ASEAN and Indochinese countries but also Japan, China, the United States, Canada, Oceanic countries and Russia. So, recently the first meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum was held, and they discussed the security questions of this region. From the Japanese point of view, we would like to promote bilateral talks in the field of defense and security, and at the same time we would like to encourage the ASEAN Regional Forum.

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