Press Conference by the Press Secretary January 30, 1998

Press conference announcements
1. The Non-Governmental Tokyo Conference on Anti-personnel Landmines
  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sadaaki Numata: On Saturday, 31 January and Sunday, 1 February, The NGO Tokyo Conference on Anti-personnel Landmines will be held at the International Conference Room of the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo. This Conference is being organized by the Association to Aid Refugees, Japan (AAR, Japan), with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various other organizations. There was a similar conference in March of last year, and this is the second such conference. The efforts by the international community to deal with the question of anti-personnel landmines have been considerably stepped up in the course of 1997. In that process, there has been an important role played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In particular, a number of non-governmental organizations -- both in Japan and internationally -- have been engaged in serious efforts in such areas as demining, development of technology, relief and assistance to victims and public relations activities in terms of raising awareness about the dangers of landmines. On the part of the Government of Japan, we have, since last year, advocated the Zero Victim Program, which consists of two main pillars. One is to continue to work toward the achievement of a more universal and effective treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines. The other pillar is to step up our efforts toward demining and assistance to victims. With that second pillar in mind, we announced our intention last year to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the areas of demining and assistance to victims, amounting to 10 billion yen in the course of five years. It is our intention to continue to work together with non-governmental organizations, the grass roots organizations, to this same end. I may also mention that, among the participants in this NGO Conference are some very well known people such as Ms. Jody Williams, which I believe is a familiar name to you. Ms. Williams is the Coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and she is one of the most recent Nobel laureates. Another participant is Mr. Chris Moon, a British national, who is a former deminer of the Hello Trust. I believe he will also be involved in the opening ceremonies of the Nagano Winter Olympics. There is another participant whom the Government of Japan has invited, and he is Mr. Sam Sotha of the Cambodia Mine Action Center. He is to call on Minister for Foreign Affairs Keizo Obuchi, as well. Mr. Sotha is in Japan to consult with our Government on this landmine workshop, which is to be held in June of this year.
2. Eurasian diplomacy
  Spokesman Numata: In my last press conference, I touched on the forthcoming visit to Japan by President Heydor Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan. I just wish to add that the second consultative group meeting for Azerbaijan was held on Tuesday, 27 January, in Tokyo under the auspices of the World Bank. In that meeting, the participating countries and international organizations pledged to extend new assistance totaling about US$633 million. On Japan's part, we do attach importance to our cooperation with Azerbaijan in the context of the Eurasian foreign policy. From the standpoint of actively assisting Azerbaijan's efforts for economic reform, aiming at a market economy, Japan pledged new assistance at this meeting to Azerbaijan, consisting of an ODA loan of up to 20.699 billion yen for a power plant project. This is also environmentally-related in terms of being designed to help the Republic of Azerbaijan meet the goals of the Third Conference of the Parties (COP3) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. For that purpose, this loan will be provided with the most concessional conditions under the following terms and conditions, i.e., a 0.75 percent interest rate per annum and a repayment period of 40 years, including a 10-year grace period. We are also extending assistance for refugees in the form of a new contribution of US$500 thousand for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Azerbaijan Program for the repatriation and reunion of the country's refugees and displaced persons.
3. Possible security framework dialogue between Japan, the United States of America, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China
  Spokesman Numata: The question of a possible dialogue between Japan, the United States of America, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on security in the region came up in the course of the visit to Moscow by Administrative Vice-Minister Masahiro Akiyama of the Japan Defense Agency in his conversation with Defense Minister Igor Sergeev of the Russian Federation. They discussed the importance of having discussions on security in the Asia-Pacific region among Japan, the United States, Russia and possibly with China. Discussions about the possibility of such a dialogue are likely to be continued between Japanese and Russian defense authorities. I may add that, as a general proposition, in order to ensure peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, including Northeast Asia, it is important for us, on the one hand, to continue to have U.S. presence and engagement in the region, and at the same time, it is important to build confidence among the countries in the region, thereby improving the security environment in the region. From this viewpoint, it is important that stable and good relations be built and maintained among the four major countries, i.e., Japan, the United States, Russia and China. From this viewpoint, if it is to be the case that, in the future, some kind of a forum for dialogue will be established among the four countries, this could contribute to confidence-building in the region as something which would compliment the efforts which may continue to take place bilaterally between the countries in the region. But at the same time, there could be various ways in which this can be achieved. And, there could be various options in which we may try to reach that goal. The question of how best we might reach that state might call for some further consideration.
4. Japan-Russian Federation relations
  Spokesman Numata: In the context of Japan-Russian Federation relations and in the context of the Hashimoto-Yeltsin Plan, one of the items under the plan was for Japan to help Russia integrate itself with the international community. Also, at the Krasnoyarsk Meeting, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto expressed Japan's support for the participation of the Russian Federation in APEC. On the basis of these discussions, we are following this up by sending Deputy Director-General Minoru Shibuya of the Economic Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is the representative to the Senior Official Meeting of the APEC Meeting to Moscow in early February, to engage in the Japan-Russia Consultation on Russia's participation in APEC. The Consultation is designed for our side to explain to Russia what APEC is all about from a business-like or practical viewpoint, and also how Japan deals with APEC organizationally and structurally. By exchanging views on this subject, we would like to expedite Russia's participation in APEC. This consultation is designed to help Russia prepare itself for participation in APEC, in terms of its domestic institutional arrangements. The counterpart on the Russian side will be somebody from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
Japan-People's Republic of China security dialogue
Q: Regarding the possible four-country dialogue, you said that China would "possibly" participate. I understand that the Chinese Defense Minister is to visit Japan next week and that this is one of the main points to be discussed. Can you provide any further information on this?

Spokesman Numata: There can be several different options or routes by which this goal of having stable and good relations among the four countries can be established. There is also the question of the pace at which we may work at this sort of idea. So, I think those are both possibilities. Also, the concept would not be exclusive. If you are sort of wedded to the concept of four countries, that might give the impression that participation by other countries is closed off; that is not our intention. So, all these matters will need to be sorted out and will have to be discussed. So, in short, my answer to your question about the possibility of this matter being discussed with the Minister of National Defense for China is a possibility.

Q: You also said "various ways" and "various options." Could you give us some examples?

Spokesman Numata: By definition, various ways and various options cannot really be pinned down. I talked about the need for this kind of exercise not to be exclusive. How do you go about doing that? I also talked about the question of timing and how you go about it. There is, as a reality, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which is a forum for region-wide dialogue. So, a number of issues are being discussed there. If you focus on the question of Northeast Asian security, there are other dialogues at the non-governmental level that are taking place. So, we need to consider the relationship with these other dialogues, as well. So, I think it would be misleading if I started enumerating, in very precise terms, the sort of options which might be considered.
Security dialogue framework in Northeast Asia
Q: In regard to this security framework -- four-country or whatever number of countries -- would you see this as a Northeast Asian version of the ASEAN Regional Forum?

Spokesman Numata: Again, I believe that that question will have to be looked at. The ASEAN Regional Forum has its own tasks to perform. As I recall, the ASEAN Regional Forum is to proceed, starting with confidence-building, conflict prevention and, lastly, approaches to security or whatever it was called. That process is going on. Now, how you can pick out Northeast Asia from that exercise and can establish a different forum will require some further thought.
Japan-Russian Federation fishing agreement
Q: Can you explain the reason for changing the signing date of the Japan-Russia fishing agreement for the Northern Islands?

Spokesman Numata: As I understand it, there was communication from the Russian side that it no longer seemed possible to have the signing take place this weekend, because the Russian side did require some time to complete the domestic process necessary for the signing. This communication was received today in the wee hours of the morning. We are continuing to work very closely with the Russian side, with a view to signing this agreement at the earliest possible opportunity.
Japan-Russian Federation Energy Consultation
Q: Can you explain the results of the Japan-Russia Energy Consultation?

Spokesman Numata: The Consultation took place on 28 January. I mentioned the participants last time. There was a discussion on three major items. One was Russia's energy supply potential in the world and also in Asia. In that context, Japan encouraged Russia to participate actively in the cooperative endeavors of APEC on this question of energy supply. The Russian side offered its own prospects as to the energy supply situation in Russia and also with respect to Asia, and explained, for example, that the share of natural gas will increase, but the share of oil is likely to decrease and also that coal consumption is likely to decrease for the time being, but may increase again after 2020. The Russian side also explained that, in terms of nuclear power, the foremost task is to improve the safety of existing nuclear power stations. There was also discussion on the question of power generation in Siberia and the possibility of electric power supply to Asia. Under the second item, which was investment in the energy sector, the Japanese side referred to some specific cases in the Sakhalin region such as, for example, customs and value-added tax in the context of asking for some further improvement in the investment climate. The Russian side also addressed the investment climate, and in that context, it stated that they attached importance to the realization of national treatment in terms of foreign investment and so forth in Russia, and also that they atttached importance to participation in the energy charter and world trade organizations. They also talked about how they see the possibility for improvements in the tax systems and setting stable fees for energy. They also talked about the need for domestic Russian legislation in this field and also the question of energy transport. The third item was energy cooperation between Japan and Russia. Both sides shared the view that the private sector is to play the primary role and the government role is to support the private sector. The Japanese side made some specific proposals, for example, inviting about 10 experts in the electric power sector to Japan for training, dispatching an electric power survey mission from Japan as a means of supporting Russia's efforts toward privatization in that sector, and dispatching another mission for the purpose of looking into the more efficient operations of power plants and transmission networks. They also talked about the idea of sending a project finding mission with a view to identifying some projects which we may be able to implement jointly with Russia. We do feel that this was a very useful opportunity to hear firsthand from the Russian side about how they are going to go forward with reform in the energy sector. The Russian side expressed a keen interest in some of the proposals which Japan made with respect to specific cooperation with Russia.

Q: The Russians said the foremost task concerning nuclear power is to improve safety. Are there any additional measures that Japan is considering to offer toward this end?

Spokesman Numata: I am not aware of any specific sort of proposal or offer which Japan took up in this particular consultation. But, I think the safety of nuclear power plants in Russia continues to be a matter of considerable interest and concern to Japan.

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