Press Conference by the Press Secretary 7 April 2000

1. Announcement on telephone conversations between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and the leaders of other states
2. Meeting between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Mr. Zheng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China
3. Normalization negotiations with North Korea
4. Questions on Prime Minister Mori's schedule
5. Questions on the normalization negotiations with North Korea
6. Questions on the situation of the kidnapped Japanese nationals in North Korea
7. Question on reports of a visit to Japan by the Dalai Lama

1. Announcement on telephone conversations between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and the leaders of other states

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have several announcements to make. The first announcement is on Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's diplomatic activities. As you know, Prime Minister Mori was appointed the day before yesterday. Prime Minister Mori has already started active diplomatic activities with telephone conversations with President William Jefferson Clinton of the United States of America, President Jacques Chirac of the French Republic, and President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea. All three leaders expressed their congratulations on Prime Minister Mori's appointment and also sympathy for former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

   The telephone conversation with President Clinton was held yesterday around 11:40 for about 10 minutes. Prime Minister Mori said that relations between Japan and the United States are the cornerstone of Japan's foreign policy and that the firm alliance between Japan and the United States is vital for the stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. Prime Minister Mori asked President Clinton for cooperation for the success of the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, and he added that he would like to meet President Clinton at an early stage. In response, President Clinton said that he would cooperate with Prime Minister Mori as a partner and that the relationship between Japan and the United States is extremely important for the United States and the common future of both countries. He also said that he would like to meet Prime Minister Mori at the earliest convenience.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   

   The telephone conversation with President Chirac was held yesterday at 16:00 for about 10 minutes. Prime Minister Mori said he would continue the policies of former Prime Minister Obuchi and devote himself to tackling domestic and diplomatic tasks, including the rebirth of Japan's economy. Furthermore, he stated that Japan and the French Republic are global partners and that he will make every effort to promote cooperation with France and the European Union. President Chirac responded that France will support Japan and he will further strengthen cooperation with Japan toward the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit and furthermore that he would like to invite Prime Minister Mori to France at his convenience.

   Related Information (Japan-France Relations)
   

   The conversation with President Kim Dae Jung was held yesterday at 17:35 for about seven minutes. President Kim said that he would like to maintain close contact with Prime Minister Mori and develop the relationship further. President Kim also affirmed that the Republic of Korea supports Japan's normalization negotiations with North Korea and would like to cooperate with Japan for peace on the Korean Peninsula and dialogue with North Korea. Prime Minister Mori said in response that he deems developing the bilateral relationship with the Republic of Korea as an important task, and he asked for President Kim's cooperation in this regard. Prime Minister Mori also said that he would welcome President Kim's visit to Japan in a relaxed manner and that he would like to consult through diplomatic channels on a convenient time for this visit.

   Related Information (Japan-Republic of Korea Relations)
   
2. Meeting between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Mr. Zheng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China

   Mr. Harada: Yesterday Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met Mr. Zheng Qinghong, Head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China. This was the first meeting with a foreign guest for Prime Minister Mori after his appointment. Prime Minister Mori said that former Prime Minister Obuchi and President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China would have further developed a mature relationship between the two countries and friendly relations in all areas and that he, as Prime Minister, will make every effort to further develop the bilateral relationship in cooperation with the Government of the People's Republic of China for the future generations. He also confirmed the standing invitation to Premier Zhu Rongji of the People's Republic China and asked Mr. Zheng to convey that message to Premier Zhu Rongji.

   Mr. Zheng responded that he believed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Mori, the relationship between the two countries, and the relationship between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China, will further develop, based on the principles built up between the two countries. Mr. Zheng added that it is necessary to develop a partnership of friendship and cooperation for peace and development between the two countries and to hand it down for posterity. He also promised to convey Prime Minister Mori's message to Premier Zhu Rongji.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
3. Normalization negotiations with North Korea

   Mr. Harada: This morning in Pyongyang, normalization negotiations finished and a joint press announcement was issued. I would like to share with you the joint press announcement. The ninth plenary session of normalization negotiations between Japan and North Korea took place from 4-7 April in Pyongyang. The session was attended by the Japanese delegation headed by Ambassador Kojiro Takano and the North Korean delegation headed by Ambassador Jong Thae Hwa. Both sides recognized that it is necessary to improve and develop Japan-North Korea relations and exercised earnest discussions on a wide range of issues related to normalization, including the question of how to settle the past. Both sides reaffirmed that negotiations should be continued hereafter and agreed that the tenth session would be held late in May in Tokyo.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
4. Questions on Prime Minister Mori's schedule

   Q: Has the date of Prime Minister Mori's trip to the United States been set already?

   Mr. Harada: I think the press reports are running too fast. As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Mori did say that he would like to meet President Clinton at an early stage, but that is in general terms. We have not decided on Prime Minister Mori's visits abroad yet, except, as you know, he is planning to visit the Russian Federation at the end of April.

   Q: There is speculation, because of the Golden Week holiday, that between 20-31 April he will go to Russia, but for the rest of Golden Week we are all wondering where he will be going. Can you provide any information on this?

   Mr. Harada: I know the reason for the speculation, but as I told you, we have to consider various options, and we have not come to any decision yet.

   Related Information (Profile of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori)
   
5. Questions on the normalization negotiations with North Korea

   Q: Have the North Koreans indicated what they want in terms of compensation? Also, what is the Government's assessment of how the talks went?

   Mr. Harada: I have not got the detailed report. We have to wait until the delegation returns and carefully study the remarks made during these negotiations. Therefore, I have to refrain from making any comment on the first question. On the second question, I received the preliminary impression from our negotiator that there was a strong will shown on the Korean side for the improvement and normalization of bilateral relations.

   Q: How should we take how the talks have ended? Is this what you basically expected to happen? Did the talks end as expected, or were there unexpected difficulties in which the two sides could not meet on various issues?

   Mr. Harada: Nobody expected that it would be an easy negotiation. There are difficulties in the negotiations, and we have said publicly that we would be persistently and patiently engaged in these negotiations. Since this is just the first session of the resumed negotiations, both sides tabled all their issues of concern. This is only the first step, and we agreed to have the next session, as I have already announced, late in May in Tokyo.

   Q: Would you think that the next session of negotiations will be much tougher, much more engaged with "true meat," so to speak? How long do you envisage these negotiations going on? What is the time frame?

   Mr. Harada: I am not in a position to envisage how long they will take. After all, these are negotiations which contain many difficult issues. I do not want to prejudge how the next session of negotiations will be nor how long normalization negotiations will last.

   Q: What is the view on the pressure, or encouragement, from the United States in terms of Japan helping out North Korea with food aid and other aid?

   Mr. Harada: There is no pressure from the United States. We have the Perry process, and Japan has maintained very close cooperation and coordination with the United States and the Republic of Korea in tackling the issues related to North Korea. That is our basic policy, and we will continue to maintain that policy.

   Q: Is there any indication that more rice-taking than talking is going on?

   Mr. Harada: Not to my knowledge.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
6. Questions on the situation of the kidnapped Japanese nationals in North Korea

   Q: What is the situation now in terms of the kidnapped Japanese nationals, in terms of what North Korea has agreed to do?

   Mr. Harada: At the last meeting between the Red Cross of Japan and the Red Cross of North Korea, the North Korean side said that they had begun investigating the case and informed the relevant authorities in North Korea and that if they found the Japanese nationals they would take appropriate measures.

   Q: You have not heard anything since?

   Mr. Harada: Not since then.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
7. Question on reports of a visit to Japan by the Dalai Lama

   Q: Has the Dalai Lama been granted a visa, and what do you expect the Chinese reaction to be?

   Mr. Harada: I read a Japanese newspaper report this morning that stated the visa had been issued, but actually this is just speculation -- it is still under examination. We have not come to a decision yet.

   Q: Have you heard anything from China regarding this, anything directly?

   Mr. Harada: We know their position. They have conveyed their concerns through diplomatic channels.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)