Press Conference 1 February 2002

1. Grant aid to the Azerbaijani Republic
2. Grant aid to the Republic of Gambia
3. Assistance to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
4. Question concerning the State of the Union address by President George W. Bush of the United States of America
5. Questions on the appointment of a new Minister for Foreign Affairs
6. Questions on women working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
7. Questions concerning former Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka
8. Questions regarding the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Sergeevich Ivanov of the Russian Federation
9. Question concerning the appointment of a Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

1. Grant aid to the Azerbaijani Republic

   Assistant Press Secretary Daisuke Matsunaga: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today I have three announcements to make, all on development assistance.

   First, as of yesterday, the Government of Japan has decided to provide grant aid of up to 400 million yen to the Azerbaijani Republic. The grant aid will be used for the procurement of agricultural machinery, which will be used to increase food production in the country.

   Related Information (Japan-Azerbaijan Relations)
   
2. Grant aid to the Republic of Gambia

   Mr. Matsunaga: Second, the Government of Japan has decided to provide grant aid of up to 170 million yen to the Republic of Gambia. This grant aid will be utilized to procure agricultural machinery, fertilizer, and so forth. This aid is also intended to increase food production in the country.

   Related Information (Japan-Bangladesh Relations)
   
3. Assistance to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

   Mr. Matsunaga: Third, the Government of Japan has decided to provide grant aid of up to approximately 192 million yen to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Out of the total of approximately 192 million yen, 35 million yen will be used for the construction and improvement of water supply projects for the city of Kiffa; the remainder of this grant aid to Mauritania will be for the cancellation of official development assistance (ODA) loan debt, which has just been paid back to Japan, and for the purchase of goods to promote Mauritania's economic development and enhance the welfare of its people.

   Related Information (Japan-Mauritania Relations)
   
4. Question concerning the State of the Union address by President George W. Bush of the United States of America

   Q: President Bush, in his State of the Union address, called North Korea part of an "axis of evil." I would like to know the Japanese Government's reaction to President Bush's statement, and how it might affect Japan-North Korea relations.

   Mr. Matsunaga: We are very much concerned about the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and there is no change in our position, before or after the State of the Union address by President George W. Bush of the United States of America. We are very much hopeful for the security situation on the Korean Peninsula to be eased and improved. In this sense, our position remains the same as before the State of the Union address.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
5. Questions on the appointment of a new Minister for Foreign Affairs

   Q: The world is waiting for news of the new Foreign Minister. Do you have any news about the new Foreign Minister of Japan?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda this morning announced at his press conference the designation of Mrs. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister of the Environment. However, Mrs. Kawaguchi is constitutionally required to go through some legal procedures, including the attestation by His Majesty the Emperor. Therefore, it is probably going to take some time before Mrs. Kawaguchi officially starts work as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

   Q: We were expecting Ms. Ogata. Did she refuse?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda revealed at his press conference that former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata turned down the request. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated at an ad hoc interview that Mrs. Kawaguchi is an ideal person to assume the post of Minister for Foreign Affairs.

   Q: When officials and ministers are appointed, profiles are usually made available. Where can we get such information about the new Minister?

   Mr. Matsunaga: We will soon have the information on the Foreign Ministry website, but for the sake of convenience you can get Mrs. Kawaguchi's curriculum vitae from the Environment Ministry's website, in both English and Japanese.

   Related Information (Mofa Info)
   
6. Questions on women working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

   Q: A general question on the problems of women working with the Foreign Ministry. This will be the second female Minister. Is there apprehension about this?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Not at all. There is no such apprehension within the Ministry.

   Q: Do you have many women working in the Ministry?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Very many. If you do not believe me, please come to my Division.

7. Questions concerning former Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka

   Q: Can you comment on the Ministry's attitude or treatment of Mrs. Tanaka? There have been many newspaper stories about it.

   Mr. Matsunaga: Again, I think we work very hard and it is quite natural for officials to work very hard for the Minister. I have nothing to say other than that. I think it is quite natural, and we did.

   Q: There were some reports that she was sort of isolated, particularly after the move here, and that she had little contact with the staff.

   Mr. Matsunaga: I accompanied former Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka on some foreign trips, and I did not see any reason to believe that she was isolated from the Ministry staff.

   Q: You had another office for her, or her office was not in this building, is that right?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Not all of the Foreign Ministry offices have been relocated to this place. Some of the offices remain in the old building.

8. Questions regarding the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Sergeevich Ivanov of the Russian Federation

   Q: I would like to ask two really quick questions. You said it would take a little bit of time for the Foreign Minister to take up her new job. When do you expect Mrs. Kawaguchi to take on the new job? Does that mean that Mr. Koizumi will be running the meetings with the Russian Foreign Minister?

   Mr. Matsunaga: First of all, there is nothing to slow down the legal process of attestation of the new Foreign Minister. Thus, my guess is that later today the new Foreign Minister will be legally finalized. With respect to the bilateral meeting with the Russian Federation, I think the details are now being worked out in coordination with the Russian side.

   Q: What does that mean?

   Mr. Matsunaga: I have nothing specific to tell you about the bilateral meeting with Russia, but I can tell you that the courtesy call on Prime Minister Koizumi by Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Sergeevich Ivanov is being scheduled. Foreign Minister Ivanov will be flying in this afternoon, and he will be leaving Japan on Sunday morning.

   Q: From your comments just now, it is not clear to me that Mrs. Kawaguchi will participate in these meetings.

   Mr. Matsunaga: No, it has not been worked out.

   Q: So that decision will come by the end of the day?

   Mr. Matsunaga: The decision will come before the bilateral meeting scheduled for tomorrow takes place.

   Q: Is the meeting in the morning?

   Mr. Matsunaga: Please come to my office for the details.

   Related Information (Japan-Russia Relations)
   
9. Question concerning the appointment of a Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs

   Q: Who is going to be the Vice-Minister?

   Mr. Matsunaga: I am sorry, I do not have any information on that. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call me or my office.