Press Conference 2 February 2001

1. Introduction
2. Announcement on additional emergency assistance for the Indian earthquake disaster
3. Announcement on visa issuance for business people of information technology-related enterprises in India
4. Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Goran Svilanovic of Yugoslavia
5. Announcement on the dispatch of an expert to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)
6. Announcement on the Kono Initiative on the Dialogue among Civilizations with the World of Islam
7. Follow-up questions on the decision to dispatch an expert to UNMOVIC
8. Question on preparations for meetings between Prime Minister Mori and the leaders of the United States of America and the Russian Federation
9. Follow-up question on the announcement of the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Svilanovic
10. Questions on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official under investigation

1. Introduction

   Press Secretary Norio Hattori: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is my first appearance as Press Secretary. I was expecting a few more people to come, but I have heard that what I am going to say will appear on the Internet, and so I am hoping that more people will learn about what I am going to say. I have several announcements to start with today, in no particular order of priority.

2. Announcement on additional emergency assistance for the Indian earthquake disaster

   Mr. Hattori: The first announcement that I want to make is on our assistance in response to the earthquake in the Republic of India.

   Although Japan has already sent a medical team of 20 people to the site in India, and there are a number of Japanese nongovernmental organizations (NGO) who are already there working together with personnel from the NGOs of other countries, today the Government of Japan decided to send a more substantive rescue team consisting mainly of doctors and nurses from the Self-Defense Forces (SDF).

   Although the details are not yet finalized, maybe during the course of this Sunday, 4 February, a team from the SDF consisting of about 200 people, including 100 doctors and nurses and 100 logistics people, will be dispatched with six C-130 transport planes and other government aircraft.

   Related Information (Earthquake in India)
   
3. Announcement on visa issuance for business people of information technology-related enterprises in India

   Mr. Hattori: My next announcement is also with regard to India.

   Back in August last year when Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori visited India, he made a speech that focused on cooperation between Japan and India in the field of information technology (IT). In his speech, Prime Minister Mori stated that the Government of Japan was about to launch a measure to expand the issuance of multiple-entry visas for short-stay visits to Japan from India for business purposes, etc. On the basis of this commitment made by Prime Minister Mori, today, 2 February, we have decided to put into force new measures on visas for Indian citizens.

   The Government of Japan has decided to issue multiple visas, valid for three years, for short-term business stays, allowing a period of stay of 90 days for business people of Indian nationality in IT-related enterprises that are located in India, to promote exchanges between IT specialists from Japan and India. This measure will be implemented from 5 February.

   The issuance of multiple visas for Indian nationals was formerly restricted to individuals holding posts no lower than director or general manager of the business department in companies fulfilling certain conditions, and these visas were valid for only one year. By the new measure, however, multiple visas will be issued to those in the post of section chief or higher, in companies that are related to IT and fulfilling certain conditions, as well as to specialists below section chief level who have a college degree in the field of IT-related engineering or more than five years' experience as IT specialists and are actually working for IT-related companies. Furthermore, the validity period of these visas will be three years instead of one year.

   It is expected that this measure will contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the Japanese economy, as well as promoting cooperative relations between Japan and India in the IT field.

   Related Information (Japan-India Relations)
   
4. Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Goran Svilanovic of Yugoslavia

   Mr. Hattori: My third announcement is with regard to the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Goran Svilanovic of Yugoslavia.

   Foreign Minister Svilanovic will visit Japan as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 5-6 February.

   During his stay in Japan, Foreign Minister Svilanovic will meet with Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono and also with the Japan-Yugoslavia Parliamentary Friendship Association. In addition, Foreign Minister Svilanovic will meet with representatives of the private sector.

   Related Information (Japan-Serbia and Montenegro Relations)
   
5. Announcement on the dispatch of an expert to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)

   Mr. Hattori: My fourth announcement is with regard to the Republic of Iraq.

   As you know, in December of 1999 the United Nations Security Council adopted the Resolution 1284 regarding Iraq. Under this resolution by the Security Council a new mechanism for inspecting Iraq's military and related facilities, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, was decided on. That mechanism is called the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).

   UNMOVIC is already in place, and there are 17 commissioners on the Commission, including one Japanese commissioner, Special Assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Takanori Kazuhara.

   The Government of Japan has decided today to send one expert in the field of missiles as part of our contribution to UNMOVIC's work.

   The Iraqi government has not yet accepted the UNMOVIC with the purpose of inspecting Iraq's facilities regarding weapons of mass destruction--it is not yet something that has been agreed upon between the United Nations and the Iraqi government. However, it is our understanding that there is going to be an initial consultation between the Iraqi government and the United Nations Secretariat in New York at the end of this month, so we are expecting that there will be a breakthrough in the dialogue between the two parties.

   Related Information (Japan-Iraq Relations)
   
6. Announcement on the Kono Initiative on the Dialogue among Civilizations with the World of Islam

   Mr. Hattori: My fifth announcement is in regard to a more cultural matter.

   In December last year, in the first press conference given by Foreign Minister Kono after Prime Minister Mori reshuffled the Cabinet, Foreign Minister Kono outlined the key elements of his diplomacy.

   One of the focal points that Foreign Minister Kono raised in outlining his diplomacy was in regard to the dialogue between different civilizations. We are now referring to it as the Kono Initiative on the Dialogue among Civilizations. Foreign Minister Kono personally announced this measure this morning after the regular Cabinet ministers' meeting. I would just like to give you a sketch of the Kono Initiative.

   The Kono Initiative on the Dialogue among Civilizations with the World, of Islam, consists of five pillars: (1) Building and promoting a network of academics and think tanks between Japan and mainly Arab countries, particularly the Gulf States. This network is also going to be constructed between universities of the two parties. (2) Although exchanges of youth between Japan and many other countries are already flourishing, within the framework of this Kono Initiative we are going to further promote the exchanges of youth between Japan and Islamic countries. These exchanges will mainly involve inviting youth from those countries to Japan. (3) We are going to cooperate for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the countries of the Middle East. This cooperation is also going to be extended to southern and eastern European countries. (4) We are going to strengthen our cooperation and our relations in general, and particularly with Islamic countries' mass media, because this is important and necessary for both sides to get to know each other better. (5) This is more related to the Japanese audience, but we are of the view that the level of consciousness on the part of the Japanese people for the necessity of measures to promote the dialogue between the different civilizations is not yet at a satisfactory level, so in order to cultivate awareness we are going to put up a series of symposia and seminars, etc. Of course, the details of each of these initiatives are not yet in place, but they will be worked out in due course.

   Related Information (Japan-Middle East Relations)
   
7. Follow-up questions on the decision to dispatch an expert to UNMOVIC

   Q: I would just like to welcome you and wish you all the best. Concerning the expert that will be sent to Iraq, on what basis did you decide to send this expert? Was it requested by the United Nations, or is it a Japanese initiative?

   Mr. Hattori: We are facing a lot of requests from the United Nations side. For example, we have been requested to send our experts not only in the missile field but also in the fields of chemical and biological weapons. We are not a nuclear country, so we do not have any experts in the nuclear field, on nuclear warfare or arsenals.

   My personal feeling is that Japan should respond more to the requests from the United Nations. At this time, I do not think this is enough on our side to respond with just one expert. We want to respond in a more substantive manner, but actually the capacity in the Self-Defense Forces that would enable us to respond to the requests of the United Nations in a more satisfactory manner is not in place.

   Q: So if the alleged Iraqi nuclear or biological sites are inspected and destroyed, does Japan think the Middle East will be a safer area? Or do you think that there are other parties of the Middle East that have the same nuclear arms but the international community is taking a very lenient attitude?

   Mr. Hattori: Before taking up this post last week, I was Director-General for Arms Control, and so this is a very pertinent question posed to me.

   With regard to Iraq, to our understanding, the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM)--the first commission set up by the United Nations Security Council, which made extensive inspections in Iraq--reported that in terms of nuclear arsenals in Iraq, the Iraqi's nuclear capacity has been almost completely destroyed. However, with regard to biological and chemical weapons there are still some apprehensions that have not been resolved by the work of UNSCOM, and that is the reason why the Security Council has established UNMOVIC.

   We hope that first Iraq will accept the UNMOVIC team, and then all kinds of concerns and apprehensions on the part of the international community regarding Iraq's alleged efforts in relation to weapons of mass destruction will be cleared up. We then hope that Iraq will again be a full-fledged member of the international community.

   With regard to other countries in that region, it is alleged that there are some other countries that pose some concerns to the international community in that field, but I am not in a position here to refer to any particular countries with respect to your question.

   The question of weapons of mass destruction poses a great threat to the international community in general: It is not limited to that region. The Government of Japan has been continuously saying that this question will be resolved with the cooperation of the international community as a whole, and this is very important for the stability and safety of the international community.

   Related Information (Japan-Iraq Relations)
   
8. Question on preparations for meetings between Prime Minister Mori and the leaders of the United States of America and the Russian Federation

   Q: I understand that Vice-Minister Kawashima today briefed Prime Minister Mori about the scheduling for meetings between the prime minister and United States President Bush and Russian President Putin. Could you update us on the situation?

   Mr. Hattori: It is not my understanding that Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yutaka Kawashima met Prime Minister Mori about that issue. I understand that Vice-Minister Kawashima is regularly briefing Prime Minister Mori on current issues in diplomatic and foreign affairs. Vice-Minister Kawashima has not yet debriefed me about his meeting with the prime minister, so I do not know whether this issue has been picked up.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)
   
9. Follow-up question on the announcement of the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Svilanovic

   Q: Concerning the visit by the Yugoslavian Foreign Minister, what are the main objectives of this visit and what are they going to talk about?

   Mr. Hattori: This is going to be a very short visit. Foreign Minister Svilanovic will arrive in Tokyo on 5 February and leave the following day, so Foreign Minister Svilanovic has limited time to conduct his business in Tokyo.

   Given Yugoslavia's circumstances, it is very pertinent and appropriate at this juncture for Foreign Minister Svilanovic to come to Japan in order to discuss our cooperation in general and how Yugoslavia as a nation will get back on track as a member of the international community, and to what extent Japan will be able to assist Yugoslavia in terms of its economic and social reconstruction. The Government of Japan is prepared to cooperate for that purpose.

   As I mentioned, Foreign Minister Svilanovic is going to meet the parliamentarians and also high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Foreign Minister Svilanovic will also meet with President Hiroshi Yasuda of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Issues related to economic cooperation will be on the agenda.

   Related Information (Japan-Serbia and Montenegro Relations)
   
10. Questions on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official under investigation

    Q: Can I ask about the investigation issue? What is Mr. Matsuo, the suspect, doing now? Is he under arrest?

    Mr. Hattori: Mr. Matsuo has not yet been arrested. As you said, we have filed our complaint with the metropolitan police, and we understand that the investigation is under way, and that's it.

    Q: So he moves freely?

    Mr. Hattori: I do not know. I do not know where Mr. Matsuo is, and I do not know what he is doing.