Press Conference by the Press Secretary 23 April 1996

1. Contributions by the Asia Fund for Women to former Comfort Women
2. Speculation regarding a visit to the Republic of Korea in May by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
3. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Korean Peninsula matters
4. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Russian troop levels in the Northern Territories
5. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Russian dumping of nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan
6. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to security matters
7. Possible discussion between the Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Russian Federation relating to the Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security
8. Japan-Russian Federation bilateral relations
9. Constitutionality of the Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security
10. The realignment, relocation, and downsizing of U.S. bases in Japan
11. The Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit and possible related summits in the future
12. Status of contacts between Japan and North Korea on normalization of relations

1. Contributions by the Asia Fund for Women to former Comfort Women

   Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hiroshi Hashimoto: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. There has been some speculation in the media on this issue. The speculation is that the Government of Japan has recently decided to contribute 2 million yen each to the former Comfort Women. I do not think this reflects reality. First of all, the donation itself is now handled by a civil organization called the Asia Fund for Women. The Asia Fund for Women itself will eventually decide the amount of the contribution, and the timing of distributing donations. However, the Asia Fund for Women has not yet decided the amount and has not yet decided the timing. At the same time, the collection and distribution of the donations is not handled by the Government itself. That is the announcement that I wanted to make, and I will be delighted to respond to any questions that you might have.

2. Speculation regarding a visit to the Republic of Korea in May by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto

   Q: I would like to ask whether there is a plan for a summit between President Kim Young Sam and Prime Minister Hashimoto? I ask you this question, because there is a lot of speculation in the Korean press that there will be a summit during Golden Week.

   A: On 2 March, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and President Kim Young Sam of the Republic of Korea met in Bangkok. At that time, President Kim Young Sam extended an invitation to Prime Minister Hashimoto to visit the Republic of Korea, and Prime Minister Hashimoto expressed his gratitude for this. What you said about a possible visit by Prime Minister Hashimoto to the Republic of Korea in the beginning of May is just speculation. Prime Minister Hashimoto is not scheduled to visit the Republic of Korea during the so-called Golden Week. So, as far as the concrete timing is concerned, nothing has been said.

   Q: According to a Mainichi Shimbun interview with Korean Ambassador to Japan Kim Tae Zhee, Mr. Kim Tae Zhee said that he is looking in a forward way to this kind of summit. Even though no place and time has been set, are there any closed sessions going on to bring it about?

   A: I have not heard anything concrete yet. Of course, Prime Minister Hashimoto accepted the invitation from President Kim Young Sam to visit the Republic of Korea with gratitude, but still the timing, and so on, will have to be discussed through diplomatic channels.

3. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Korean Peninsula matters

   Q: You have accompanied Prime Minister Hashimoto to Russia. I would like to know as to whether the Prime Minister has talked about the four-way talks on bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula with President Yeltsin, and how President Yeltsin commented. Did President Yeltsin bring up the six-way talks which Russia has suggested before four-way talks?

   A: I accompanied Prime Minister Hashimoto this time. I remember very well that President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation touched on the situations of the Korean Peninsula. He said that there is a perception among some parties that the Armistice Treaty has become obsolete, and this complicates the situations on the Korean Peninsula. He said that the countries concerned should try to reach out to the Republic of Korea and North Korea -- something like this. And, Prime Minister Hashimoto also touched on this subject, and he pointed out that the four-party proposal was recently made during the discussions between President William Clinton of the United States of America and President Kim Young Sam. Prime Minister Hashimoto expressed the policy of the Government of Japan to support this idea. Although Prime Minister Hashimoto is not sure whether North Korea will accept this idea or not, he hoped that North Korea will eventually accept this. As far as I understand, President Yeltsin himself did not respond to this idea directly. At the same time, President Yeltsin did not directly talk about the six-party meeting either. This is the content of the conversations on the Korean Peninsula between the two people.

4. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Russian troop levels in the Northern Territories

   Q: Did Prime Minister Hashimoto and President Yeltsin talk about the Russian troops situation in the Northern Territory?

   A: Yes.

   Q: Could you comment on the talks, and I wonder whether the Japanese Government is satisfied with the situation -- on the issue of troop deployment?

   A: President Yeltsin talked about the number of troops there. He said that the troops in the Northern Territories have been reduced to 3,500. Prime Minister Hashimoto appreciated this. But, they did not talk in further detail about the military situation in the Northern Territories.

5. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to Russian dumping of nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan

   Q: I understand that President Yeltsin promised again that Russia will not dump nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan. This sounds to be rather awkward, because he has promised the same thing some time ago. What is the point? What is the Japanese comment on this?

   A: Several years ago, the Russian side dumped low-level nuclear waste in the Sea of Japan. The Japanese people were very much concerned about this. After that, the Government of Japan requested the Russian Government not to repeat the dumping. At the same time, for very practical reasons, the Japanese side negotiated with the Russian side to establish a storage and treatment facility for the nuclear waste. Recently, sometime at the end of last year, the Government of Japan and the Government of the Russian Federation reached an agreement, and according to this agreement, now the Government of Japan is going to construct the facility. In the meantime, the Russian side indicated that it would not dump in the future. But, unless the Russian Federation decided to accede to the Amendment to the London Convention, we could not be sure of Russian dumping in the future. This time, prior to the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit, President Yeltsin and Prime Minister Hashimoto met. During the meeting, President Yeltsin formally stated that the Russian Federation will accede to the Amendment to the London Convention this year. Prime Minister Hashimoto was grateful for this, and he said that this was a superb present for the Government of Japan. So, now we know that the Russian Federation will eventually participate fully in the Amendment, and the Russian Federation will eventually assure us formally on the Convention itself, and on the reality that it will not dump in the Sea of Japan.

6. Discussions at the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit relating to security matters

   Q: I understand that the Director-General of the Japan Defense Agency is visiting the Russian Federation from this weekend.

   A: Between 27-29 April.

   Q: Not this weekend. But, what is the focus of this visit, particularly in light of this taking place very shortly after the Nuclear Safety Summit?

   A: The Government of Japan wants to enlarge its relationship with Russia in both political and economic fields. When Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukihiko Ikeda went to Moscow the other day and talked to his counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgenii Maksimovich Primakov, he in fact proposed this. He said that there has been a dialogue on security at the officials level, but he proposed to upgrade it to the ministerial level. The intention is related to Japan's desires to expand its relationship with Russia. At the same time, Russia is a big power in the Asia-Pacific region; Russia is participating in the ASEAN Regional Form (ARF). It is very important for the two countries, Japan and the Russian Federation, to upgrade policy dialogue on the security matter. And, this time, Prime Minister Hashimoto, talked to President Yeltsin directly on this subject, and President Yeltsin accepted this proposal. Now, Director-General of the Defense Agency Hideo Usui intends to visit Moscow between 27-29 April.

7. Possible discussion between the Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Russian Federation relating to the Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security

   Q: Is Mr. Usui supposed to make any kind of explanations concerning the Joint Declaration which was signed during the visit by President Clinton?

   A: I think so. Both gentlemen can touch freely on the various subjects which the two sides are interested in. Especially after President Clinton's visit, we have already started to explain the essence of the visit and the importance of the document to various countries. I am sure that Director-General of the Defense Agency Usui will be in a position to explain this to his counterpart in Moscow. Although you have not asked me, making use of this opportunity, I would like to explain that the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance has been reaffirmed by the Joint Declaration, and we consider the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty as the cornerstone or linchpin of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. None of the countries treat specific countries as a possible threat to Japan. Especially, in this Japan-U.S. Security Declaration, there is a phrase concerning Russia. The document says that, "Russia's ongoing process of reform contributes to regional and global stability, and merits continued encouragement and cooperations." The Leaders also stated -- meaning President Clinton and Prime Minister Hashimoto -- that, "Full normalization of Japan-Russian relations, based on the Tokyo Declaration, is important to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

8. Japan-Russian Federation bilateral relations

   Q: I think that this kind of visit is something we can call extraordinary, because there never has been bilateral relations before. I mean not with Russia, but only with the former Soviet Union. So, is it mainly a first get-together, or are any kind of specific issues going to be discussed?

   A: As I said, policy dialogue on security has already been going on on official levels. So, we have already been accustomed to exchanging views on security. We are now going to upgrade the dialogue. Of course, that kind of dialogue could not be envisaged during the Cold War era. The fact that Director-General of the Defense Agency Usui is now going to Moscow to hold talks with his counterpart clearly illustrates the end of the Cold War. Japan wants to establish and develop a constructive relationship with the Russian Federation.

9. Constitutionality of the Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security

   Q: Is there a contradiction between the Joint Declaration and the section on it in the Constitution?

   A: I do not think so. This Joint Declaration has not altered any legal structure of the present Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. I do not think it will violate, whatsoever, the present Constitution.

   Q: Isn't there a problem with Section 9 in the sense that if Japan wants to take joint action with the United States in a broad theater, in the Asia-Pacific region, that won't it be prevented from doing this by Section 9?

   A: You may recall Article VI of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and you may recall the existence of Japan's Defense Outline. However, up until now, we have not yet completed a joint study on the Japan-U.S. defense cooperations under these two, so the Government of Japan is going to study it, and sometime later, together with the United States. The Government's intention is to do this within the framework of the Constitution. So far, we have not yet studied fully what we can do under the present Constitution.

   Q: So, it is still possible that you may be restrained under the present Constitution?

   A: Yes, I think so. I am not sure whether this is the right word -- "restraint." But, in any case, under the present Constitution, the Government of Japan is going to study what it should do in the field of Japan-U.S. defense cooperation. However, we have not yet studied under what mechanism, first of all, the Government of Japan is going to study, and what sort of subjects should be picked up, and so on. So, the terms of reference and mechanisms, first of all, will have to be decided, but so far, that has not been settled yet.

   Q: During the Vietnam War, American B-52s used Okinawa as a base to bomb North Vietnam. Was that done under the context of the Constitution? Was it a Constitutional issue at that point?

   A: I do not recall whether the B-52s based in Okinawa directly hit the Vietnamese or not, and in which year, and so on. Under the present Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, the Treaty itself defines the area of the Far East, which the United States is interested in from a security aspect. If the United States wants to use its bases in Japan for maintaining peace in that area, the United States is requested to hold prior consultations with the Government of Japan. That is the mechanism of Article VI. But, these prior consultations have not been requested of the United States in the past. I recall that the troops which were stationed in the U.S. bases in Japan went to the Gulf War. But at that time, the Government of Japan interpreted that those troops did not directly hit the enemy in that area from U.S. bases in Japan. They moved the troops in that area, and in that area the battles took place.

   Q: Is it fair to say that Prime Minister Hashimoto believes that the Constitution shouldn't be changed, that it should remain as it is now in regards to Japanese forces going overseas -- that he believes that there's scope within it for a broader role to be played? Is that a fair summary of his position?

   A: What we would like to stress here is that even under the present Constitution, we have not fully studied what we can do in the field of defense cooperation between Japan and the United States. In concrete terms, the Government of Japan intends to do so. But, after the end of the study, I do not know whether, for example, Shinshinto, the opposition party, will be satisfied with the study, or as Shinshinto Chairman Ichiro Ozawa and other Shinshinto leaders every now and then hint, if Shinshinto will demand the Government to go farther. I do not think the Government of Japan intends to do so. Although the first Defense Outline was established a long time ago, unfortunately the Government of Japan failed to study this defense cooperation before it issued the new defense outline. So, it is appropriate and high time for it to do so.

10. The realignment, relocation, and downsizing of U.S. bases in Japan

    Q: The relocation of American bases from Okinawa has become a big issue. Is there any possibility of some U.S. bases over there being relocated to Hokkaido?

    A: I do not recall the detail of the plan for the relocation and realignment of U.S. bases in Okinawa, except that some facilities are going to move to Iwakuni. There is one case in Okinawa -- an artillery exercise training site. Except in emergency situations, the United States is not going to use that field in Okinawa. They will use some other places in Japan, instead. I do not remember if any artillery range in Okinawa will be used for that purpose or not. In any case, I can say that by the end of November, both the governments of Japan and the United States will have to finalize the concrete program for the relocations, reductions, and realignment of Okinawa bases. So, in due course, you will know exactly what we are going to do.

11. The Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit and possible related summits in the future

    Q: You already mentioned previously the Moscow Summit on Nuclear Safety. Can you give us a general assessment on what the Japanese Government thinks? Was it a successful one, or in what particular areas was it successful? What are the areas in which they wanted to reach agreement, and where they managed to do so?

    A: Are you talking about the Nuclear Summit itself?

    Q: The G-8 or G-7.

    A: Of course, the Government of Japan, together with the Japanese people, were very much satisfied by the announcement of President Yeltsin to accede to the Amendment to the London Convention. Apart from that, the G-7 and the Russian Federation issued the statement on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Up until then, we were not very much sure about the position of the Russian Federation on this. Now, the Russian side has agreed to the so-called zero yield, so now is the time for us to ask the People's Republic of China to agree with us on this. In this sense, the Government of Japan is very much satisfied with the Moscow Nuclear Safety Summit. And, the G-7 already agreed with Ukraine to close the Chernobyl nuclear reactor by the year 2000. Once again, it has been reconfirmed, and we are satisfied with this. The Moscow Summit urged the relevant countries to sign the Convention on Nuclear Safety. And, jointly, the G-7 and Moscow appealed to the importance of this convention. I think the Government of Japan is very happy about the Summit itself, and Japan wants to follow-up the Meeting, including Japan's proposal to hold a conference on nuclear safety in Tokyo sometime this year. We intend to invite Asian countries which have already developed civil nuclear reactors, and which intend to develop civil reactors, to join us and talk about that. At the same time, the G-7 countries and Russia are welcome to participate in this seminar as observers.

    Q: Can you give us the names of the exact countries which might go to the summit?

    A: We have not yet worked out concrete plans. We just have in mind countries in Asia. In due course the Government of Japan will decide and publicize it.

    Q: You have mentioned that Japan wants to invite Asian countries which have already developed civil nuclear energy, or intend to develop it. Does North Korea qualify for this definition?

    A: We have not decided whether we will ask North Korea to come to this conference yet, but we will study it.

    Q: What about Pakistan, for example?

    A: We do not know whether we should include the countries in South Asia or not. Again, we have to think about it. Basically, we have in mind that the countries in East Asia, such as China, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Indonesia, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the Kingdom of Thailand, and so on.

12. Status of contacts between Japan and North Korea on normalization of relations

    Q: Can you say what the status is of Japan's talks with North Korea on normalization are at the moment? They were called off recently, weren't they?

    A: We continue to contact the North Korean authorities on this issue, but we are still not in a position to know when we can start the next round of normalization talks.

    Q: Can you confirm some press reports suggesting that Prime Minister Hashimoto sent a letter to Kim Young Sam?

    A: The relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea is so close that very often the leaders exchange letters or telephone calls. So, I do not know which one you have in mind. But, in any case, if it was a private letter, the Government does not publicize the contents of the letter. Thank you very much.