Press Conference 28 November 2003

1. Upcoming visit by Senior Vice-Minister Masatoshi Abe to Republic of El Salvador, Dominican Republic and United Mexican States
2. Upcoming visit to Japan by Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah of the Sultanate of Oman
3. Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the adoption of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors' resolution concerning Iran's nuclear issue
4. Grassroots human security grant aid to Iraq
5. Question concerning possible meeting of senior officials of Japan, United States of America and Republic of Korea

1. Upcoming visit by Senior Vice-Minister Masatoshi Abe to Republic of El Salvador, Dominican Republic and United Mexican States

   Assistant Press Secretary Jiro Okuyama: Good afternoon. I have a few announcements to make before taking questions.

   Firstly, Senior Vice Minister Masatoshi Abe will visit the Republic of El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and the United Mexican States from 1 to 12 December.

   In El Salvador, Mr. Abe will have talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila and other government officials and will exchange views with her on the promotion of bilateral relations.

   In the Dominican Republic, Mr. Abe will meet President Rafael Hipolito Mejia Dominguez and other government officials and will exchange views with them on the promotion of bilateral relations, and he will also have a close look at the current situation of the Japanese immigrants living in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Abe will visit the areas where Japanese immigrants established themselves and will have a meeting with these Japanese immigrants.

   In Mexico, he will have meetings with government officials in Mexico City and will exchange views on bilateral relations focusing on the follow-up to the state visit of President Vicente Fox Quesada to Japan last October. He will move on to the city of Merida in the southeastern part of Mexico where he will attend the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and he will sign the convention along with other G8 ministers.

   Related Information (Japan-El Salvador Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Dominican Republic Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Mexico Relations)
   
2. Upcoming visit to Japan by Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah of the Sultanate of Oman

   Mr. Okuyama: Secondly, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah of the Sultanate of Oman will visit Japan as guest of the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 30 November to 3 December.

   During his stay, he will meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and others and will have a broad exchange of views including on Japan-Oman bilateral relations and the issues relating to the Middle East region.

   Related Information (Japan-Oman Relations)
   
3. Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the adoption of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors' resolution concerning Iran's nuclear issue

   Mr. Okuyama: Thirdly, I would like to draw your attention to the statement by the Press Secretary issued on 26 November on the resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):

   Japan welcomes the adoption without a vote of a resolution concerning Iran's nuclear issue at the November meeting of the Board of Governors of the IAEA on 26 November in Vienna.

   Considering that it is important for the international community to address Iran's nuclear issue in concert, Japan became a co-sponsor of this resolution together with the UK, France and Germany. Japan strongly hopes that Iran will take this resolution very seriously and that it will sincerely implement all the requirements of the resolution.

   Regretting that Iran was once engaged in undeclared nuclear activities including uranium enrichment in the past, Japan has conveyed this message to Iran candidly. At the same time, Japan welcomes Iran's positive and cooperative attitude toward the IAEA's activities and strongly hopes that Iran will remove international concern and establish a real confidence with the international community by cooperating fully with the IAEA.

   Related Information (Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of the IAEA Board of Governors' Resolution concerning Iran's Nuclear Issue)
   
4. Grassroots human security grant aid to Iraq

   Mr. Okuyama: Fourthly, on Japan's reconstruction assistance to Iraq, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi made the following remarks after the Cabinet meeting today:

   "Earlier, Japan announced the assistance of up to US$5 billion to Iraq and so far, we have either implemented or decided to implement US$86 million worth.

   In addition to this, on 26 November, we decided to implement approximately US$1.88 million worth of grassroots human security grant aid to cover four projects in Iraq relating to the reconstruction of a secondary school, improvement of water supply and wastewater disposal, and provision of ambulances.

   Japan's assistance has made steady achievements, for example, we have created employment for approximately 35,000 people through projects for collection of wastes and rehabilitation of buildings, etc. in Baghdad. Also, through the rehabilitation of schools and provisions of school stationary, one million Iraqi children have received benefit.

   In response to Japan's assistance, we have received many words of thanks from the Iraqi people. The Government of Japan will continue to actively implement reconstruction assistance to Iraq."

   The details of the four projects mentioned above are as follows:

   (All figures are given at the current exchange rate of 109 yen to US$1.00.)

   (1) The Project for Reconstruction of Mustakbal Secondary School in Mosul City: approximately US$419,000
   Purpose: to reconstruct Mustakbal Secondary School in Mosul City

   (2) The Project for Construction of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Mosul City: approximately US$513,000
   Purpose: to construct four wastewater treatment plants in Mosul City

   (3) The Project for Rehabilitation of Water Treatment Plants in Nineveh Governate: approximately US$256,000
   Purpose: to rehabilitate two water treatment plants in Mosul City

   (4) The Project for Improvement of Medical Transportation in Nineveh Governate: approximately US$692,000
   Purpose: to provide the Health Service Bureau of Nineveh Governate with ten emergency vehicles

   Related Information (Grassroots Human Security Grant Aid to Iraq)
   
5. Question concerning possible meeting of senior officials of Japan, United States of America and Republic of Korea

   Q: Director-General of the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry of the Republic of Korea Lee Soo-hyuck announced that senior officials of Japan, the United States of America and the Republic of Korea will meet in Washington on 3 and 4 December. Can you confirm this?

   Mr. Okuyama: Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Mitoji Yabunaka of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan had a useful and frank exchange of views on North Korean issues with Director-General Lee in Seoul on 26 November.

   Yesterday and today, Mr. Yabunaka is in Beijing to exchange views with the Chinese officials on bilateral relations and on the situation of the Korean Peninsula on how to deal with the six-party talks on the nuclear development issues of North Korea.

   At this moment, we cannot confirm that there will be a meeting of officials of Japan, the US and the Republic of Korea.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)