Press Conference 7 December 2001

1. Announcement on the 10th Japan-EU Summit Meeting
2. Question concerning Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
3. Questions concerning free trade agreements

1. Announcement on the 10th Japan-EU Summit Meeting

   Assistant Press Secretary Daisuke Matsunaga: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I have one announcement to make today concerning the attendance of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the 10th Japan-EU Summit Meeting.

   Today, Prime Minister Koizumi is leaving for Europe to attend the 10th Japan-EU Summit Meeting. At the Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi will meet with Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt of the Kingdom of Belgium as well as President Romano Prodi of the European Commission. The Japan-EU Summit Meeting has been held almost every year since 1991.

   Likely subject matter for discussion at this year's Summit Meeting includes, needless to say, the common fight against terrorism as well as an exchange of views on the international economic and political situations. In addition, the leaders will probably discuss the possible joint action plan in which both sides will present their views and also agree upon a common understanding on global peace and prosperity, mutual economic relations and cultural exchanges, as well as people-to-people exchanges. The delegation will return to Japan on the evening of 9 December. So, it will be a very short trip.

   Related Information (Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Attendance to the 10th Japan-EU Summit Meeting)
   
2. Question concerning Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi

   Q: When Prime Minister Koizumi was last in Italy a foreign journalist at a press conference addressed the Prime Minister using "san". Afterwards, a Foreign Ministry official cautioned the journalist about this. Do you have any comment on that?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Well, the use of honorifics differs from one country to another. I think the Japanese word "san" would be the safest honorific to be used for everyone, but opinions may differ. Probably, that reporter thought that "san" is equivalent to "Mr."

3. Questions concerning free trade agreements

   Q: Could you update me on the progress toward signing free trade agreements with Singapore and Mexico? Also, there was an editorial in the Sankei Shimbun suggesting a free trade area with Taiwan and Korea. Is Japan considering the possibility of this?

   Mr. Matsunaga: First of all, regarding the free trade agreement between Japan and Singapore, on the occasion of the APEC Leaders' Meeting at Shanghai the leaders of both countries confirmed that negotiations had been substantively finalized. As for the signing of a free trade agreement between Japan and Mexico, I think some kind of study group has been set up to explore that possibility. So, it is something that is now being studied. In response to your second question, concerning a free trade agreement between the Republic of Korea and Taiwan, because it is a possible agreement between foreign parties, Japan is not in a position to say anything on that.

   Q: Is there any possibility that Japan could sign a free trade agreement with a citizen's group?

   Mr. Matsunaga: My initial reaction is that a free trade agreement is something to be concluded between states. However, I will look into whether such an agreement could also be concluded between non-state entities.