Press Conference 23 June 2000

1. Vice-Ministerial Subcommittee Meeting of the Japanese-Russian Joint Committee on the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty
2. Announcement on the meeting of the Japan, United States of America and Republic of Korea Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group on North Korea
3. Comment on the signing of the border demarcation agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen
4. Emergency assistance to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for drought disaster
5. Dispatch of election observers for the parliamentary election in the Republic of Zimbabwe
6. Questions on the decision by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to raise output
7. Follow-up questions on the Subcommittee Meeting of the Japanese-Russian Joint Committee on the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty
8. Questions on the holding of bilateral meetings prior to the G8 Summit
9. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's remarks on the summit meeting with Secretary-General of the Workers' Party Kim Jong Il of North Korea
10. Question on the visit to the People's Republic of China by President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran
11. Other issues

1. Vice-Ministerial Subcommittee Meeting of the Japanese-Russian Joint Committee on the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty

   Deputy Press Secretary Chikahito Harada: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I have five announcements to start with.

   The Vice-Ministerial Subcommittee Meeting of the Japanese-Russian Joint Committee on the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty took place yesterday on 22 June in Moscow. The meeting included meetings of the Subcommittee on Border Demarcation and the Subcommittee on Joint Economic Activities.

   Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryozo Kato on the Japanese side and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Losyukov on the Russian side attended these meetings. I would like to highlight some points of the meetings.

   On political dialogue, both sides agreed to hold a bilateral foreign ministerial meeting on 11 July in Miyazaki on the occasion of the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and a bilateral summit meeting on 20 July in Tokyo on the eve of the G8 Summit in Okinawa.

   They also reviewed the current status of preparations for the official visit to Japan of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation and agreed to accelerate the work on documents such as the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation, which will become an outcome of the official visit of President Putin.

   At the meeting of the Subcommittee on Border Demarcation, both sides confirmed to fully observe agreements, such as the Tokyo Declaration, the Krasnoyarsk and the Kawana Agreements and the Moscow Declaration. Each side clarified its proposals for the peace treaty.

   During meetings of the Subcommittee on Joint Economic Activities, both sides reviewed the work done by the group working under the Subcommittee on the early realization of aquaculture in accordance with the fishery framework agreement. Both sides agreed to continue informed discussions on the practical aspects of this project. They also exchanged views on the international situation, such as the Korean Peninsula and US-Russia relations.

   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)
   
2. Announcement on the meeting of the Japan, United States of America, and Republic of Korea Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group on North Korea

   Mr. Harada: This meeting is to be held on 29 and 30 June in Honolulu. The delegations of Japan, the United States of America, and the Republic of Korea will be headed respectively by Deputy Vice Minister for Foreign Policy Yukio Takeuchi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United States Department of State Counselor Ambassador Wendy Sherman of the United States of America, and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Jang Jai-ryong of the Republic of Korea.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Republic of Korea Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
   
3. Comment on the signing of the border demarcation agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen

   Mr. Harada: Japan welcomes the fact that on 12 June the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen signed a final and comprehensive agreement to demarcate land and marine borders, and pays its respects to the efforts of the two governments that led to this historic agreement. As the settlement of this issue will contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen and the further stability of the region as a whole, the Government of Japan highly appreciates the initiative taken by the leaders of the two countries toward a peaceful solution of the border issue.

   Related Information (Japan-Saudi Arabia Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Yemen Relations)
   
4. Emergency assistance to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for drought disaster

   Mr. Harada: On 21 June, the Government of Japan decided to extend an emergency grant aid of US$200,000 and emergency assistance in kind (equivalent to about 20 million yen), comprising tents, medical supplies, cisterns, and other items to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which has suffered seriously from a prolonged drought.

   In the Baluchistan and Sind Provinces of Pakistan, a disastrous drought has caused great human and material damage since last summer. According to the Government of Pakistan, 143 people have died as a resul of this drought, while approximately 2.39 million are still afflicted by it. Crops and livestock have suffered severe losses as well.

   In these circumstances the Government of Pakistan, while conducting relief operations of its own, has requested emergency aid from the Government of Japan.

   The Government of Japan has decided to extend this emergency assistance from a humanitarian standpoint, in view of the seriousness of this disaster and the friendly relations between Japan and Pakistan.

   In response to nuclear testing conducted by Pakistan, the Government of Japan announced on 29 May 1998 that it would suspend new yen loans and new grants but not emergency and humanitarian aid and Grant Aid for Grassroots Projects. The assistance extended this time is in the emergency and humanitarian category.

   Related Information (Japan-Pakistan Relations)
   
5. Dispatch of election observers for the parliamentary election in the Republic of Zimbabwe

   Mr. Harada: The Government of Japan has decided to dispatch six officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Hiromu Nitta, Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe, as election observers for the parliamentary election in the Republic of Zimbabwe scheduled for 24-25 June.

   It has been reported that in Zimbabwe a number of farms owned by white farmers have been occupied by war veterans since February of this year, and that political violence and intimidation between supporters of the ruling party and opposition parties have been taking place during the period preceding the election. Japan is concerned about such situations, and has thus decided to participate in election observation activities for the parliamentary election in Zimbabwe, hoping the election will be held in a free and fair manner.

   Related Information (Japan-Zimbabwe Relations)
   
6. Questions on the decision by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to raise output

   Q: Do you have any comment on OPEC's decision to raise oil output?

   Mr. Harada: I understand that on the occasion of the 110th Meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference, ten member countries decided to increase their oil production from July. This decision was made after the increase made on the occasion of the 109th Meeting of the OPEC Conference.

   Japan will closely monitor how this decision will affect the future oil market, and hopes that oil producing countries will continue to take appropriate measures which will contribute to the stabilization of the oil market and the development of the world economy.

   Q: Will Japan ask OPEC to raise oil output by any specific target, such as one or two million barrels?

   Mr. Harada: We do not have such concrete targets, although we would like to see the stabilization of the oil market.

   Q: Do you have any background on Japan-Yemen relations? Will the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Yemen help to develop Japan's relations with both counties?

   Mr. Harada: The stability of the Arabian Peninsula is extremely important for Japan owing to the fact that there are important oil producing countries in that region. Generally speaking, we have favorable bilateral relations with both Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This is the reason why we welcome the durable settlement of the border issues between the two countries.

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7. Follow-up questions on the Subcommittee Meeting of the Japanese-Russian Joint Committee on the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty

   Q: Concerning the meeting of the Subcommittees, were loans from Japanese companies discussed by the Russian side?

   Mr. Harada: As far as I know, that issue was not discussed.

   Q: Do you have any numbers indicating how much the Russian side has paid to Japan?

   Mr. Harada: I do not have those figures with me at the moment. I will check whether I can offer you any information on your question.

   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)
   
8. Questions on the holding of bilateral meetings prior to the G8 Summit

   Q: About President Putin's meeting with Prime Minister Mori prior to the G8 Summit, has a date been set? Is he still coming to Tokyo as scheduled?

   Mr. Harada: During the Vice-Ministerial Subcommittee Meeting, they agreed to hold a bilateral summit meeting on 20 July in Tokyo.

   Q: How about other leaders such as President Clinton? Is Japan asking the US to hold other bilateral meetings in Tokyo as scheduled?

   Mr. Harada: We are now consulting with the other G8 countries and we have not arrived at a stage where we can announce the schedule of the bilateral meetings before the Summit.

   Q: What is Japan's position? Do you want the leaders to come to Tokyo as scheduled?

   Mr. Harada: As you know, we were planning to hold the bilateral meetings in Tokyo. However, this depends on the convenience of the other countries, and we are still consulting with them.

   Related Information (G7/G8)
   
9. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's remarks on the summit meeting with Secretary-General of the Workers' Party Kim Jong Il of North Korea

   Q: I heard a statement that Prime Minister Mori would like to have a summit with the North Korean leader. Is this possible? Is the Foreign Ministry informed of or planning for such a summit?

   Mr. Harada: Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori did not say that he would like to have a summit meeting with Secretary-General of the Korean Workers' Party Kim Jong Il. At the press conference he said that during the telephone conversation with President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea, President Kim Dae Jung suggested that Japan consider a way to convey Japan's stance directly to Secretary-General Kim Jong Il. Prime Minister Mori introduced such advice given by President Kim Dae Jung. We deem it important to achieve effective mutual understanding with Secretary-General Kim Jong Il and the Foreign Ministry will study the most effective way to facilitate this mutual understanding with him.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
10. Question on the visit to the People's Republic of China by President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran

    Q: Do you have any comments on the summit being held in China between the Iranian President and the President of China?

    Mr. Harada: This concerns the relationship of third countries, and we have not received the information on the visit of President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the People's Republic of China. At this stage, I do not have any specific comment to make.

    Q: Will the Iranian President will be visiting Japan later this year?

    Mr. Harada: Japan has extended an invitation to President Khatami to visit Japan and our common target is to realize that visit by the end of this year. We are now consulting with our Iranian counterparts about the concrete date of the visit.

    Related Information (Japan-Iran Relations)
    
11. Other issues

    Q: I recently read some reports suggesting that American forces in Japan and South Korea might be requested to reduce their size. Is Japan considering to do this in the near-term?

    Mr. Harada: I can only talk about the United States military presence in Japan. We do not have any intention of changing our security policies or the Japan-US security relationship, including the United States military presence in Japan.