Press Conference 20 February 2001

1. Announcement with regard to the salvage of the Ehime Maru
2. Comment on descriptions of the Ehime Maru appearing in the mass media
3. Emergency assistance for blizzard disaster relief in Mongolia
4. Emergency aid for earthquake disaster relief in the Republic of El Salvador
5. Demands for an apology by the commander of the USS Greeneville
6. Question on communications between the governments of Japan and the United States of America on the Ehime Maru incident
7. Question on the salvage of the Ehime Maru

1. Announcement with regard to the salvage of the Ehime Maru

   Press Secretary Norio Hattori: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I have several items to begin with.

   With regard to the Ehime Maru, I would like to inform you that the United States Pacific Fleet made the following statement today at 13:00 (Japan time) in Honolulu:

   "The Government of Japan has requested the Ehime Maru be salvaged. The US Government will make a decision on the salvage of the Ehime Maru based solely on technical feasibility.

   A survey of the vessel is currently being conducted to collect data to determine the technical feasibility of salvaging it. This survey commenced on 16 February and is expected to take several days. The analysis of the survey data and the development of salvage options available, if any, are expected to take several weeks. These time frames are approximate and are subject to change."

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
2. Comment on descriptions of the Ehime Maru appearing in the mass media

   Mr. Hattori: In our observation of US newspapers and mass media we have seen that the Ehime Maru, the vessel sunken by the USS Greeneville, is invariably referred to as a "fishing vessel." However, the Ehime Maru is not a fishing vessel per se-it is a fishing training vessel of a high school. I just wanted to make this point in order to correct the references in the US media.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
3. Emergency assistance for blizzard disaster relief in Mongolia

   Mr. Hattori: My next announcement is on emergency assistance to Mongolia.

   On 20 February, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency grant aid of about 300 million yen to Mongolia, which has sustained damage from severe snowstorms for two consecutive years.

   The Government of Japan extended the same kind of assistance to Mongolia in October last year in response to the disasters caused by snowstorms and drought that country suffered. The assistance that the Government extended last year amounted to approximately 1 billion yen.

   Related Information (Japan-Mongolia Relations)
   
4. Emergency aid for earthquake disaster relief in the Republic of El Salvador

   Mr. Hattori: Today, 20 February, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency grant aid of approximately 264 million yen to the Republic of El Salvador in view of the seriousness of the damage that the country has sustained from two earthquakes within the last two months.

   This emergency aid comprises funding of 224 million yen for the Government of El Salvador and about 40 million yen for a Japanese NGO, the Japanese Red Cross Society, which is already engaged in assisting the victims of the earthquake in that country.

   The first devastating earthquake struck El Salvador in January and this second earthquake hit the country on 13 February. Today's assistance is in response to this second earthquake.

   For your information, in response to the January earthquake, the Government of Japan dispatched about US$500,000 worth of grant assistance in cash and 25 million yen worth of emergency commodity assistance. In addition, 18 Japanese medical teams have already been sent to El Salvador.

   The Government of Japan has already extended assistance amounting to 13 million yen in response to the second earthquake, so the assistance announced today is the Government's third batch of assistance to El Salvador.

   Related Information (Japan-El Salvador Relations)
   
5. Demands for an apology by the commander of the USS Greeneville

   Q: The families of the missing people [from the Ehime Maru] are asking the US that the captain appears. Does the Japanese government support this request or is it taking any action on that?

   Mr. Hattori: Do you mean an apology by the submarine commander himself?

   Q: Yes.

   Mr. Hattori: Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Seishiro Eto visited Honolulu on his return to Tokyo after traveling to Washington. In Honolulu, Senior Vice-Minister Eto met Admiral Blair, Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC), and conveyed that there is a strong wish on the part of the families for a personal apology from the submarine commander.

   Admiral Thomas Fargo, the Pacific Fleet Commander has made a reference to the message conveyed by Senior Vice-Minister Eto to the effect that such an apology may have some legal implications and this issue is something the submarine's commander must decide himself.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
6. Question on communications between the governments of Japan and the United States of America on the Ehime Maru incident

   Q: I heard that there are communications problems between the Japanese government and the US in terms of getting information. Is there any particular problem that the Japanese government faces?

   Mr. Hattori: At this point in time we do not see any major difficulties in the communication between Japanese authorities and US authorities.

   Q: Foreign Minister Kono said that last week he had news from the media...from the US Government?

   Mr. Hattori: Of course, what we have been requesting from the US side is that the information that is supposed to be transmitted to the Japanese side, either to the families or the Government, is passed on in a smooth manner. We understand that is being done.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
7. Question on the salvage of the Ehime Maru

   Q: In terms of raising the Ehime Maru, how or when will the Japanese government provide help to the United States?

   Mr. Hattori: As I said, the US side is now collecting data after having located the Ehime Maru. I believe the US side is doing everything necessary to determine whether or not it is technically possible to raise the Ehime Maru. I do not think we can make any judgments about the raising of the vessel before we know the results of the research being carried out by the US side.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)