Press Conference 14 April 2000

1. Visit to Japan by President Abdurrahman Wahid of the Republic of Indonesia
2. Visit to Japan by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata
3. Comments of the Government of Japan on the 2000 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report
4. Hosting of the High Level Conference on Southeastern Europe
5. Establishment of the Summit Opinion Box for the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit
6. In regard to Japan's relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic State of Afghanistan
7. In regard to the issuance of a visa to the Dalai Lama
8. Other issues

1. Visit to Japan by President Abdurrahman Wahid of the Republic of Indonesia

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have five announcements to start with. First is on the visit to Japan of President Abdurrahman Wahid of the Republic of Indonesia. President Wahid will make a short visit to Japan on 16 April to meet Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, and he will leave on the same day. This will be the first meeting for Prime Minister Mori with an Asian leader. We expect that the meeting will establish a personal relationship between the two leaders and promote the Japan-Indonesia bilateral relationship.

   Related Information (Japan-Indonesia Relations)
   
2. Visit to Japan by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata

   Mr. Harada: My second announcement is on the visit to Japan of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata. High Commissioner Ogata will visit Japan from 15-25 April by invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She will meet with Prime Minister Mori, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono, Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki and others to exchange views on Japan's contributions in the area of humanitarian assistance and further strengthening cooperation between Japan and the UNHCR office.

   Related Information (Japan and the United Nations)
   
3. Comments of the Government of Japan on the 2000 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report

   Mr. Harada: My third announcement concerns the Government of Japan's comments on the 2000 National Trade Estimate (NTE) report published by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR published the NTE report on 31 March, which was presented to the United States Congress. Some parts of the 2000 NTE Report state accurately the actual circumstances in Japan and provide fair assessment. However, despite our repeated effort to point out errors, we still find the description based on the misinterpretation of the facts and the argument marked by a one-sided view in many parts of the NTE report. It is to our disappointment that such a report has been published. The NTE report points out in a number of contexts that the share that foreign-made products occupy in Japan's market remains low, and draws from this a conclusion that there are barriers hindering access to Japan's market. In reality, market share is determined by a wide variety of factors, particular demand structures and the effort suppliers make to market their products. Adopting a result-oriented approach is not consistent with international rules based on free trade. In this context, the Government of Japan has a concern over the Government of the United States having the procedures for imposing unilateral measures and publishing the results of review, on the basis of US judgment itself, under Super 301 and Title VII (Identification of Discriminatory Government Procurement Practice) and Section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. We have published critical comments on items in the 2000 NTE report, which we conveyed to the Government of the United States through diplomatic channels on 12 April. We have copies in English and Japanese of these comments if you are interested.

   Related Information (Comments of the Government of Japan on 2000 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report)
   
4. Hosting of the High Level Conference on Southeastern Europe

   Mr. Harada: The High Level Conference on Southeastern Europe will be held on 15-16 May in Tokyo under the joint auspices of the Foreign Ministry and the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA). The Conference will be attended by persons concerned from Southeastern European countries, G8 countries and international organizations, as well as by experts from Japan and other countries. The Chairman will be Representative of the Government of Japan Dr. Arima, and the keynote speakers will include United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Balkans Carl Bildt, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe Bodo Hombach, and President of the Japan Preventive Diplomacy Center Yasushi Akashi.

   The Conference will discuss (1) steps toward the promotion of harmonious political cultures, (2) steps to redeem and establish human dignity, and (3) steps toward a market economy with a view to seeking means of stabilizing Southeastern Europe. Japan has been deeply involved both politically and economically for the purpose of stability of the whole of Southeastern Europe, centering on Kosovo and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In December last year, for example, Foreign Minister Kono visited Kosovo and met with the representatives of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and of each conflicting party to directly urge reconciliation among ethnic groups. As the Chair of the G8 Summit Meeting, Japan intends to make a positive contribution to discussion on the stability of Southeastern Europe, an important matter of international concern. It has therefore decided to hold this Conference as a complement to the framework of the Stability Pact and also as a concrete program of the Strengthening of Japan-Europe Political Cooperation that Foreign Minister Kono proposed during his visit to Europe in January this year.

   Related Information (Japan-Europe Relations)
   
5. Establishment of the Summit Opinion Box for the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit

   Mr. Harada: The Government of Japan has decided to establish an internet Summit Opinion Box for the general public to share their views on the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. The Government of Japan has been promoting dialogue and cooperation with the public in various fields, such as development assistance, international trade and the environment. The Government of Japan's efforts to disseminate information about the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit to the people of Japan and the international community as a whole include the setting-up of an official website about the Summit. To step up such efforts in the process leading to the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, the Government of Japan has started today, 14 April, to invite citizens, as well as local and international NGOs both inside and outside Japan, to send their opinions to the official Summit website.

   Opinions can be communicated to the Summit Opinion Box in Japanese or English. The Government of Japan's view will be posted on the topics about which many people have sent their opinions to the box. The Government of Japan hopes that the Summit Opinion Box will help it to gauge the opinions from a wide range of the public in Japan and abroad as we approach the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit.

   Related Information (G7/G8)
   
6. In regard to Japan's relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic State of Afghanistan

   Q: Japan seems to have a very cordial relationship with Pakistan. Does this help you to make contact with the Taliban in Afghanistan? Also, who is looking after Japan's interests in Afghanistan in the absence of any diplomatic relations with Kabul?

   Mr. Harada: To answer the first part of your question, we maintain a stable relationship with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, although as you know, we have certain issues to be cleared up in order to further promote our bilateral relationship with Pakistan. Concerning our relationship with the Taliban, you may recall that we recently had a seminar in which we invited the Taliban and anti-Taliban factions for us to have bilateral talks with these groups to try to work with them to come closer to a reconciliation. We have a direct channel with the Taliban. As to which countries are taking care of our interests, I will have to check and come back to you later.

   Related Information (Japan-Pakistan Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Afghanistan Relations)
   
7. In regard to the issuance of a visa to the Dalai Lama

   Q: Could you give me some general comments on China's opinion on letting the Dalai Lama come to Japan? Also, could you comment on the Sankei Shimbun report this morning that the visa was planned on the condition that he does not take any political action, including the meeting with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government?

   Mr. Harada: We did issue an entry visa to the Dalai Lama, and we know that his visit to Japan is from 13-20 April. My comment is that the issuance of a visa does not affect in any way our position on the status of Tibet, and we have made that clear to the Chinese side. Concerning the Sankei Shimbun article, I am not in a position to make a comment on the procedure of our examinations, so I cannot confirm that part.

   Q: When you say you have "made it clear to the Chinese side," does that mean you explained the situation to the Chinese side before you granted the visa?

   Mr. Harada: Before we issued the visa, we explained our position that the application for the visa would be examined in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, that if there were no problem, we would issue a visa, and that should we issue a visa, it would be nothing to do with our position on issues relating to the status of Tibet. That was made clear to the Chinese side before we issued the visa.

   Q: Was that conveyed directly to China?

   Mr. Harada: It was made through diplomatic channels.

   Q: Is there a plan for the Dalai Lama to meet with Government officials during his stay?

   Mr. Harada: Not to my knowledge.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
8. Other issues

   Q: I read in the Japan Times that MITI Minister Mr. Fukaya is going to India during Golden Week. Can you tell us something more about that?

   Mr. Harada: I know that the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is considering a visit by its Minister to the Republic of India, but I do now know whether the visit has been fixed or not, so I will have to refer you to MITI itself to get the correct information.

   Q: What is Foreign Minister Kono's plan for Golden Week?

   Mr. Harada: Nothing has been decided yet. It is now under consideration.

   Q: Have Japan and Russia set the date for the meeting between Prime Minister Mori and President-elect Putin?

   Mr. Harada: I do not think I can say we have fixed the date yet, but the visit will most probably be made from 28-30 April in St. Petersburg. On the exact date of the meeting, I am not sure. We will announce it when it is fixed.

   Q: What do you think about China's warning against a planned visit to Japan by the outgoing President of Taiwan?

   Mr. Harada: We know what they are saying about that, but we are not aware of any concrete plan of such a visit, so I cannot make a specific comment on that. On issues relating to Taiwan, we have our basic policy, so any issue related to Taiwan will be dealt with based on that policy.