Press Conference by the Press Secretary April 3, 1998

Decision by the Government of the State of Israel to accept United Nations Security Council Resolution 425
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ken Shimanouchi: I will read the statement by the Press Secretary issued yesterday regarding the decision by the Government of the State of Israel to accept United Nations Security Council Resolution 425. We consider the decision by the Israeli Government to accept United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 as a positive step toward the implementation of the resolution. Japan strongly hopes for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon in accordance with the aforementioned resolution, through further discussions on this matter among the parties concerned.
Readouts from the bilateral meetings at the London ASEM Leaders' Meeting
1. Meeting between Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea
  Spokesman Shimanouchi: The meeting between Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea took place in London on 2 April, at 15:00 GMT. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. At the outset of the meeting, Prime Minister Hashimoto invited President Kim Dae Jung to Japan. He said that he would like to invite President Kim Dae Jung to Japan with the highest level of hospitality. President Kim Dae Jung accepted this invitation and also expressed his hope that Prime Minister Hashimoto would be able to visit the Republic of Korea soon. They discussed the economy of the Republic of Korea. Prime Minister Hashimoto referred to the economic problems in both countries. He paid tribute to the leadership exercised by President Kim Dae Jung in the area of the economy. Also, Prime Minister Hashimoto said he was pleased that the Republic of Korea was implementing the economic adjustment program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) faithfully, and that smooth progress has also been made in terms of corporate debts. President Kim Dae Jung thanked the Prime Minister for the major role that Japan played with regard to the IMF and the question of debts. The two leaders also discussed the second-line reserves for the Republic of Korea and the interaction between the private sectors of the two countries. In the area of fisheries, both leaders expressed satisfaction that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries agreed to resume the talks for a new Fisheries Agreement. On the bilateral relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea, President Kim Dae Jung expressed the hope to the Prime Minister that the two sides would be able to hold sincere and frank discussions in order to forge a new partnership between the two countries. In response, Prime Minister Hashimoto said that we cannot change past history and that the present is based on the past. However, we can create a future based on the present. Prime Minister Hashimoto hoped that the two sides would be able to discuss such subjects. With regard to North Korea, Prime Minister Hashimoto told President Kim Dae Jung about the recent visit by a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) delegation to North Korea. He told the President that, according to the delegation, the food crisis in North Korea was chronic. He said with regard to Japan's relations with North Korea that there were many obstacles that must be cleared. He said he would maintain active contact with the Republic of Korea and move forward with the Republic of Korea's advice. He said that Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America must make efforts for stability on the Korean Peninsula through close contacts among themselves. In response, President Kim Dae Jung said that there were three conditions regarding the Republic of Korea's relations with North Korea. He said firstly that the Republic of Korea will not allow armed provocation or aggression. Secondly, he said that the Republic of Korea does not seek unification through absorption. Thirdly, he said that the Republic of Korea will move forward exchanges and cooperation under peaceful coexistence between the South and the North. He said that, based on these three prerequisites, he will make efforts to move forward exchanges with North Korea. In so doing, he would like to maintain close contact with Japan and the United States.
2. Meeting between Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi of the People's Republic of China
  Spokesman Shimanouchi: Prime Minister Hashimoto met with Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi of the People's Republic of China. They met in London on 2 April, at 17:00 GMT. It was a very brief meeting, lasting approximately 15 minutes. First, the Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi on his appointment as Prime Minister, and invited him to visit Japan soon. Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi thanked Prime Minister Hashimoto for the invitation. The two leaders discussed the bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi referred to the fact that this year is the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Peace and Friendship Treaty between the two countries. He also stated that the Chinese Government must make continuous efforts to develop friendly relations between the two countries. He said that the visits by President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China and Vice President Hu Jintao scheduled for this year were a measure of the importance that China attaches to Japan. Prime Minister Hashimoto thanked Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi for his words. He said that he was pleased that very broad exchanges were taking place between the two countries. He mentioned in this context the scheduled visit of President Jiang Zemin and Vice President Hu Jintao. He also referred to the visit by Minister of National Defense Chi Haotian of the People's Republic of China to Japan last February. He said that these exchanges would lead to greater friendship between the two countries. Prime Minister Hashimoto also said that, following last year's celebration of the 25th anniversary of the normalization of ties between the two countries, he would like to make this year an even more fruitful year. Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi said he believed that that would be the case. They also talked about the Asian economy. Prime Minister Hashimoto said that Japan was approaching the Asian economic crisis as its own problem. Prime Minister Zhu Rhongi said that China was doing as much as possible through the IMF and through bilateral support.
3. Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Keizo Obuchi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas of the Republic of Indonesia
  Spokesman Shimanouchi: Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas of the Republic of Indonesia met on the morning of 2 April in London. The meeting lasted for little over half an hour. Foreign Minister Obuchi congratulated Foreign Minister Alatas on his reappointment as Foreign Minister of Indonesia. He thanked Foreign Minister Alatas for the role he played in making the visit of Prime Minister Hashimoto to Jakarta a success. With regard to the economic situation in Indonesia, Foreign Minister Obuchi referred to the fact that the consultations between the IMF and the Government of Indonesia were moving forward smoothly and that it was believed that an agreement would be reached soon. Foreign Minister Obuchi welcomed these developments. He also said that he hoped that Indonesia will move forward its reforms on the basis of the new agreement. Foreign Minister Obuchi said that Japan will spare no effort in supporting the reform efforts of Indonesia. In this context, he referred to the humanitarian assistance for the socially disadvantaged in Indonesia that Japan recently announced. I will not go into the details of this assistance. On the question of food assistance, Foreign Minister Obuchi said that Japan was considering this matter with a view to providing rice to Indonesia as soon as possible. The two Foreign Ministers also talked about East Timor. Foreign Minister Obuchi told Foreign Minister Alatas that he was aware of the efforts that Foreign Minister Alatas was making to resolve the issue of East Timor. He said that, in Japan, people are interested in the human rights situation in East Timor and elsewhere in Indonesia. He expressed the hope that Indonesia would continue its efforts to improve the human rights situation there, taking into account the interests of the international community in this issue. Foreign Minister Obuchi also welcomed the fact that consultations at various levels were being held between the Governments of Indonesia and the Portuguese Republic and expressed his hope that these consultations would move forward successfully. He also expressed the hope that Foreign Minister Alatas would visit Japan. Foreign Minister Obuchi also said that he would like to visit Indonesia at an appropriate time. In response, Foreign Minister Alatas stated the following. With regard to the exchanges of visits by the Foreign Ministers, he said that he hoped that Foreign Minister Obuchi would be able to visit Indonesia soon, and that he himself would like to visit Japan. With regard to the Indonesian economy, he said that the talks between Indonesia and the IMF were proceeding very smoothly and that the talks were entering their final stages. He said that, once an agreement is reached, Indonesia could expect to regain the confidence of the international community in its ability to advance reforms and to regain confidence in the rupiah. He said that Indonesia could also expect that this agreement would lead to predictability of economic policy and also of overall stability. He said that, from this perspective, the Prime Minister's visit to Jakarta was very important and that it was a great success. He expressed Indonesia's appreciation for the visit and for the various forms of assistance that Japan has been extending to Indonesia. I will not go into the details of that. Finally, with regard to East Timor, Foreign Minister Alatas said that he was aware of the fact that some people in Japan were interested in this issue. He said that, under the mediation of Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, talks between Indonesia and Portugal were being held at the foreign-ministerial level and also at the senior-officials level. He said he would make every effort to resolve this issue.
Upcoming visit to Japan by President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation
Q: There is some contradiction concerning the announcement from the Japanese side and the Russian side concerning the visit of President Yeltsin. Some reports from Moscow say that the visit is uncertain.

Spokesman Shimanouchi: We have not heard from the Russian side about any changes in President Yeltsin's plans to visit Japan. Late yesterday afternoon, 2 April, the President's Office in Moscow told the Japanese Embassy there that, although there are all sorts of news reports, the President's visit has not been postponed. That is, they denied the media reports about a postponement of President Yeltsin's visit to Japan. Both sides are now moving forward preparations to go ahead with the visit as scheduled.
Bilateral meetings at the upcoming G-8 Summit Meeting
Q: Can we expect President Yeltsin and Prime Minister Hashimoto to meet in Birmingham during the G-8 Summit Meeting this year?

Spokesman Shimanouchi: I think that you are way ahead of us. I do not think that we have started to make arrangements for bilateral meetings at the time of the G-8 Summit Meeting in Birmingham.
Application for a Japanese visa by the Dalai Lama
Q: What is the Japanese Government's response to China's opposition to the visit of the Dalai Lama to Japan?

Spokesman Shimanouchi: An application for a visa to enter Japan was made by the Dalai Lama under normal procedures. We looked at this application in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of Japan regarding this matter, and we decided to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama. We have explained the position of the Government of Japan to the Chinese side. With regard to the status of Tibet, Japan has always maintained the position that this is a domestic issue of China. There has been no change in the Japanese position regarding that.
Construction of a sea-based heliport in Japan
Q: Concerning the helipad that is to be built in Okinawa, is the Japanese position at this moment unchanged in terms of place, location and the timing?

Spokesman Shimanouchi: The Japanese position regarding the sea-based heliport remains unchanged. The purpose of this heliport is to make possible the return of Futenma Air Station. We will make patient and persistent efforts to gain the understanding of Governor Masahide Ota of Okinawa Prefecture and the local community regarding this issue.

Q: I believe that the plan calls for construction to begin in seven years starting from last year. Is this timing deadline still the same?

Spokesman Shimanouchi: I think that, when the announcement was first made, it stated five to seven years, if I recall correctly. At this stage, what I can say is that we will continue to make efforts to gain the understanding of Governor Ota and the local community in Okinawa.

Q: Do you mean that you will continue to make efforts to gain understanding so that you can make the deadline?

Spokesman Shimanouchi: -- so that we can move ahead with our efforts to bring about the return of Futenma Air Station.

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