Press Conference 18 February 2003

1. Visit by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Republic of Korea
2. Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir of the Republic of Turkey
3. World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo
4. Question concerning Turkish Year in Japan
5. Question concerning the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
6. Question concerning situation of Japanese nationals in the Republic of Iraq

1. Visit by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Republic of Korea

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon, thank you very much for coming to this briefing. Today I have three announcements I would like to make.

   The first announcement is about Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Republic of Korea.

   Prime Minister Koizumi will visit the Republic of Korea to attend the inauguration ceremony of the President Roh Moo Hyun, to be held on February 25, and hold a summit meeting with the new president, if approved by the Diet.

   At the summit meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi will affirm with the new administration of the Republic of Korea further development of future-oriented relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea and exchange frank opinions on measures regarding North Korea, based on the recent situation, including the issues of nuclear development of North Korea and the abduction issues, and confirm the importance of close coordination among Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America.

   Related Information (Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Visit the Republic of Korea)
   
2. Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir of the Republic of Turkey

   Mr. Takashima: The second announcement is about the meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir of the Republic of Turkey.

   Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will meet Deputy Prime Minister Yalcinbayir of Turkey to discuss both bilateral issues between Japan and Turkey and international issues, including the situation in Iraq. The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister had arrived in Tokyo the day before yesterday and attended the opening ceremony of the Turkish Year in Japan yesterday.

   Related Information (Japan-Turkey Relations)
   
3. World Trade Organization (WTO) informal ministerial meeting in Tokyo

   Mr. Takashima: The third announcement is about the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tokyo informal ministerial meeting.

   At today's Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi made a report on the WTO's unofficial ministerial meeting held in Tokyo over the last weekend. In that report, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi, who was the chairperson of the meeting, said that the meeting served its purpose to provide a forum to exchange frank opinions on the core issues of this round of WTO negotiations and contributed greatly to the progress of the ongoing negotiations. Foreign Minister Kawaguchi expressed her intention to keep on participating in negotiations vigorously and try to achieve well-balanced benefits for Japan through the round of negotiations, including on agricultural issues.

   Related Information (Chair's Impression)
   Related Information (WTO)
   
4. Question concerning Turkish Year in Japan

   Q: I have a question about the Turkish Year in Japan. Is the Government of Japan supporting these kinds of activities?

   Mr. Takashima: It is true that the Turkish Year in Japan and similar kinds of events have been supported by the Government of Japan, especially by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the case of the Turkish Year in Japan, it was organized through talks between foreign ministers three years ago and had been prepared by the Turkish government.

   It will consist of approximately 100 events throughout the year in various parts of Japan. The first event was the Turkish Exhibition, which was held at a gallery in Tokyo. It started yesterday and is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

   Q: There was a press report in the Sankei Shimbun regarding the donation by Japanese private organizations of cherry trees to Taiwan. Is this kind of presentation of Japan-related items to Turkey also possible?

   Mr. Takashima: We know about the press report, but we do not know whether there is any plan of presenting anything to Turkey at the moment.

   In general, promotion of goodwill and friendly relations with other countries is one of the major purposes and missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore, I believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would try its best to promote that cause.

   Related Information (Japan-Turkey Relations)
   
5. Question concerning the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

   Q: What will be Japan's main message to the United Nations Security Council in reference to its position?

   Mr. Takashima: It is still under consideration, but basically, Ambassador Koichi Haraguchi would reiterate Japan's basic position on the issue concerning Iraq, namely that we seek a diplomatic and peaceful solution of this issue. In order to achieve that, we have got to have proactive participation by the Government of Iraq, especially in cooperating fully with the inspections, as well as the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, Ambassador Haraguchi will repeat the necessity of having international solidarity to cope with this issue. For that purpose, he would urge the UN Security Council to act unitedly.

   Q: Will there be any mention about Japan's position vis-à-vis other countries?

   Mr. Takashima: It has not been decided yet, but I am sure that Ambassador Haraguchi would call for the unity of the UN Security Council to show a well-coordinated and well-determined position.

   Related Information (Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Reports by UNMOVIC and IAEA to the United Nations Security Council on the Inspections in Iraq)
   Related Information (Japan's Diplomatic Efforts on the Issue of Iraq)
   
6. Question concerning situation of Japanese nationals in the Republic of Iraq

   Q: Have the evacuation procedures in Iraq been progressing since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an evacuation advisory?

   Mr. Takashima: We have issued a travel advisory and travel warning to Japanese nationals living in the city of Baghdad. However, I have no report on the progress of evacuation. At the same time, I am aware that some groups of Japanese have been traveling to Baghdad, so there is a good possibility that the number of Japanese nationals in Baghdad has been increasing.

   Related Information (Japan-Iraq Relations)