Press Conference 30 May 2000

1. Visit by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to the Republic of Korea
2. Hostage situation in Fiji
3. Visit to Japan of Mr. Wolfgang Hoffmann, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
4. Special Session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st century"
5. Attendees at the funeral service for former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi

1. Visit by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to the Republic of Korea

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon. I have four announcements at the outset. My first announcement is on the visit of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to the Republic of Korea. Since there are already detailed press reports on the visit of the Prime Minister to the Republic of Korea, I would like to give you our brief overall assessment of the visit. Although it was a very short visit, Prime Minister Mori and President Kim Dae-jung established a good personal relationship of trust and had a meaningful exchange of views on various issues. We attach particular importance to the following points. Firstly, that the leaders agreed to cooperate for the success of the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit and the third Asia-Europe Meeting, which are extremely important diplomatic events this year for both countries. It was also a most opportune time for the leaders of Japan and the Republic of Korea to have a candid exchange of views on policies toward North Korea, given the North-South Summit meeting is approaching and the fact that the next round of normalization talks between Japan and North Korea has been postponed for the time being.

   Related Information (Japan-Republic of Korea Relations)
   
2. Hostage situation in Fiji

   Mr. Harada: The second announcement I have is on the hostage situation in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Government of Japan has repeatedly expressed concerns about the situation in Fiji and hopes for its early settlement. We understand that President Sir Ratu Kamisese Mara stepped down last night and Commodore Frank Bainimarama declared martial law in Fiji. Japan has so far supported President Mara's efforts, while consulting with other countries concerned. Japan is greatly worried about the situation in Fiji, which has shown no clear prospect of resolution yet, and we are currently gathering information, such as whether these measures will lead to the release of the hostages and the return to normality. We will closely follow the situation with great concern. Japan strongly hopes that the hostages will be released swiftly and that the present situation will be settled as soon as possible in accordance with democratic and constitutional procedures.

   Related Information (Japan-Fiji Relations)
   
3. Visit to Japan of Dr. Wolfgang Hoffmann, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization

   Mr. Harada: My third announcement is on the visit to Japan by Dr. Wolfgang Hoffmann, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Organization. Dr. Hoffmann will visit Japan from 31 May to 3 June at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his stay in Japan, Dr. Hoffmann will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono and Mr. Tetsuro Yano, Chairman, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, House of Councillors, to exchange views on facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT. Dr. Hoffmann will also meet with the Director-General of the Japan Meteorological Agency and others from organizations that are concerned with the CTBT, to exchange views on the improvement of the international monitoring system to detect nuclear explosions, which is stipulated in the Treaty.

   Japan chaired the First Conference on Facilitating the Entry-into-Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty. Until the next Conference, Japan, as the coordinator to facilitate entry-into-force, will urge the countries that have not yet ratified or signed the Treaty to ratify the CTBT as early as possible. Japan therefore intends to continue actively and effectively promoting the early entry-into-force of the CTBT on the basis of the outcome of the recent 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Japan is now considering plans for action, such as joint action by like-minded countries, to facilitate the entry-into-force of the CTBT. Foreign Minister Kono may exchange views with Dr. Hoffmann on this idea.

   Related Information (The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT))
   
4. Special Session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st century"

   Mr. Harada: My final announcement is on the special session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st century." This special session will be held from 5-9 June in New York. The special session will be attended by the UN member countries. The delegation from Japan will be headed by Dr. Sumiko Iwao, Chairperson of the Council for Gender Equality.

   The special session will review and assess the progress achieved in the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, adopted at the Nairobi World Conference in 1985 (World conference to review and appraise the achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace in 1985), and the Beijing Platform for Action, five years after its adoption, at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The special session will also consider future actions and initiatives.

   Japan has been actively working on the advancement of women. At the special session, Japan will introduce its domestic handling of this issue and will present a statement citing the importance of the empowerment of women, respect for the rights of women and strong political will and action based on partnership to realize equality.

   Related Information (Japan and the United Nations)
   Related Information (Human Rights)
   
5. Attendees at the funeral service for former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi

   Q: Do you have a list of people attending the funeral of the late Prime Minister?

   Mr. Harada: I have a list of people who will attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. I have to emphasize that this is as of the present moment, and the list should not be taken as the final one. Heads of State that will attend include: President William Jefferson Clinton, from the United States of America; President Kim Dae Jung, from the Republic of Korea; President Abdurrahman Wahid, from the Republic of Indonesia; President Joseph Estrada, from the Republic of the Philippines; President Leo A. Falcom, from the Federated States of Micronesia; and President Kuniwo Nakamaura, from the Republic of Palau. As for Prime Ministers: Prime Minister Likphai Chuan, from the Kingdom of Thailand; Prime Minister Hun Sen, from the Kingdom of Cambodia; Prime Minister Sisavat Keobounphan, from the Lao People's Democratic Republic; Prime Minister Rinchinnyamin Amarjargal, from Mongolia; Prime Minister Ionatana Ionatana, from Tuvalu; and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, from the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. With regard to Chairmen of Parliament or Congress: Speaker of the National Assembly Rey Matlapeng Molomo, from the Republic of Botswana; President of the National Assembly Ivan Escobal Fornos, from the Republic of Nicaragua. And as for Vice Premiers or Vice Presidents: Vice Premier Qichen Qian, from the People's Republic of China; Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam, from the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; and Deputy Prime Minister Mao Zeming, from the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. As for Foreign Ministers: Minister of Foreign Affairs Patteson Oti, from the Solomon Islands; Minister of Foreign Affairs Fathulla Jameel, from the Republic of Maldives; and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sipakeli Walubita, from the Republic of Zambia. We also have information that Minister of Home Affairs Kan Seng Wong from the Republic of Singapore will attend. This is all the information I have at this moment. We will have further information as it becomes available.

   Q: The Prime Minister of Singapore will not be attending?

   Mr. Harada: We have been informed so far that Minister of Home Affairs Kan Seng Wong will attend.