Press Conference 24 March 2003

1. Financial assistance to the Government of the Kingdom of Jordan and the Palestinian Interim Authority
2. Questions concerning Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Japan
3. Question concerning Japan's financial assistance
4. Question concerning contact with the People's Republic of China
5. Question concerning North Korea
6. Questions concerning postwar reconstruction of Iraq
7. Question concerning Japanese nationals entering Iraq

1. Financial assistance to the Government of the Kingdom of Jordan and the Palestinian Interim Authority

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon and thank you very much for coming to this special briefing.

   I would like to remind you of the announcement that we made yesterday regarding our financial assistance to the Governments of the Kingdom of Jordan and the Palestinian Interim Authority. To summarize, the Government of Japan announced yesterday that it will provide approximately US$ 104.2 million in total for the stability of the Middle East. Of that amount, US$ 100 million will go to Jordan to alleviate the enormous economic impact that will arise from the situation in Iraq. US$ 4.2 million will go to the Palestine Autonomous region as food assistance through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

   In conjunction with this assistance, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi made a telephone call yesterday to Minister for Foreign Affairs Marwan Al Muasher of Jordan and the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Sha'ath of the Palestinian Interim Authority explaining and informing them of this assistance. The details are available through the International Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

   Related Information (Special Announcement by the Press Secretary (March 23))
   Related Information (Special announcement by the Press Secretary (March 23))
   Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)
   
2. Questions concerning Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Japan

   Q: I am wondering if you could clarify if the Japanese Government has received any request from the United States to expel Iraqi diplomats. If so, what are Japan's plans in that regard?

   Mr. Takashima: On 20 March, the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., received a request from the Government of the United States of America for the closure of the Iraqi diplomatic institution in Japan. We are making our own study on it, but we have not yet made any decision.

   Q: Did they say why they wanted the Embassy closed down? Obviously as you are considering that request currently, when would you decide on whether to agree to close it?

   Mr. Takashima: There is no deadline. Since we have been requested to do so, we are studying it but no decision has been made yet.

   Q: What would be the reasons why the Government of Japan would not expel them? The Government of Japan is behind the US war effort, so why would there be a question of whether or not to expel them?

   Mr. Takashima: To allow other countries to open Embassies or Consulate General's Offices is a matter to be decided by the host country, in this case Japan. Therefore, the Government of Japan makes its own judgments.

   Q: Would you say that the US request is interfering in Japanese government policy or diplomacy?

   Mr. Takashima: The United States expressed their wish and we have received it and are studying it.

3. Question concerning Japan's financial assistance

   Q: With regard to the aid, the US$ 100 million that you will give to the Jordanians and US$ 4.2 million that you will give to the Palestinians. Just looking at the exports to Iraq by itself, that is about US$ 420 million a year, I believe. US$ 100 million is obviously quite a large sum of money. Are you considering any further additional help to Jordan in particular or to any other countries, such as the Republic of Turkey or the Islamic Republic of Iran to help them with the effects of the war? Also, in terms of the timetable when you might announce additional aid packages, can you give us any details on that?

   Mr. Takashima: The assistance to Jordan has been under consideration for quite some time now, because the Government of Jordan informed us of the necessity of assistance from Japan in conjunction with the possible military action taken toward Iraq some months ago. Therefore, we have been studying it, and since the war has begun, we decided to extend this assistance. For your information, half of this money will be grant aid and not for a specific project, while the other US$ 50 million will be tied to an actual project which will be decided upon through the consultation between the Governments of Japan and Jordan later.

   Q: Are you currently negotiating other options?

   Mr. Takashima: As for assistance to other countries, when the necessity arises, then we will consider to provide assistance to the neighboring countries. We are also expecting to receive an emergency appeal from the United Nations later in the month to which we would respond positively.

4. Question concerning contact with the People's Republic of China

   Q: Kyodo News reported that there was a meeting on Friday between Japanese and Chinese diplomats concerning North Korea. Is that correct?

   Mr. Takashima: We have regular contact between Japan and the People's Republic of China, but we do not comment on each of the meetings.

   Q: Some newspapers have reported that Foreign Minister Kawaguchi is due to go to China sometime next month. Can you confirm that and is there any date?

   Mr. Takashima: It is still under consideration and no details have been set yet.

   Q: Can you confirm that one of the main items on the agenda will be North Korea?

   Mr. Takashima: The Government of China has recently set up a new Cabinet, and as they have a new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Li Zhaoxing, and since Japan considers China as a very important neighbor, we would like to have direct contact between the Japanese and the Chinese foreign ministers at the earliest possible opportunity. That is the reason why we are considering a visit. Certainly, the main topics would be bilateral relations as well as multilateral issues of mutual concern which include North Korea.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
5. Question concerning North Korea

   Q: Since we are on North Korea, there was a report by Jiji Press earlier today citing US Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker saying that North Korea was showing signs of preparing for a missile launch. Have you had any indications yourself or any word on that?

   Mr. Takashima: We have no information to confirm or deny that. My understanding is that there are no visible signs of change in the situation on the North Korean side that might escalate the tension in this region

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
6. Questions concerning postwar reconstruction of Iraq

   Q: Prime Minister Koizumi reiterated Japan's desire that there should be a UN Security Council resolution governing the postwar rebuilding of Iraq. If there is no resolution, how will that affect Japan's ability to assist in the rebuilding?

   Mr. Takashima: There does exist legislation or laws in Japan which would enable us to contribute in the effort of reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq. However, we do believe that this kind of work should be done as an international effort. In order to make that effort solid and effective, we regard a UN Security Council resolution desirable.

   Q: Would the lack of a UN Security Council resolution make it more difficult to send, for instance, Self-Defense Force (SDF) peacekeepers to Iraq?

   Mr. Takashima: We can dispatch our Self-Defense Forces for the peacekeeping operations in various places. However, there is a set of conditions attached to such a dispatch. We have to wait and see if those conditions will be met at the end of this military action.

   Q: Just to make sure, has there been any request from the US to Japan to dispatch SDF personnel to the region?

   Mr. Takashima: We have been in close touch with the United States and there is ongoing consultation between our two countries. We cannot however disclose the details.

   Q: Has the consultation included the subject of dispatch of personnel?

   Mr. Takashima: Whether or not we would dispatch Self-Defense forces for the postwar peacekeeping operations or minesweeping operations in the Arabic Sea or in the Gulf, those are the decisions to be made by the Government of Japan. Currently, we are studying all sorts of possible actions to take.

   Q: Just to get further elaboration, if Japan is in the position to assist with the rebuilding with or without a UN resolution, why is a UN resolution so desirable?

   Mr. Takashima: As I have said, a UN resolution would make the international community be in unity and unison to make postwar reconstruction of Iraq more effective and more comprehensive. Therefore, we would like to see a UN resolution materialize, but it is not essential. Without a UN resolution, we believe that we would still have many things that we would be able to do.

   Q: In terms of cost, you yourself and other government officials have said that Japan is not in a position this time to pay the same level of contribution it did during the last Gulf War, which was about 13 billion dollars. Obviously, Japan has been through three recessions since then, and the debt ratio to the percentage of GDP is much higher than it was then. Although I know that you do not know at this stage how much it will cost to rebuild Iraq or how much the aid package will cost Japan, do you have an upward limit, a budget if you like, that you do not want to go over?

   Mr. Takashima: There is no limit or exact figure or even a rough estimate that is being considered by the Government of Japan. At the moment, we are still waiting to see the outcome of this military action, and how much the actual necessary cost of reconstruction would be remains to be seen.

   Q: How will the aid toward rebuilding be financed? Will it come through the official development assistance (ODA) budget, or will there be additional sources?

   Mr. Takashima: That is another matter to be considered by the Government. In the case of the contributions at the time of the Gulf War, the Government got the money through special taxation. This time, we are not sure if that will be the case.

   Related Information (The Outline of Measures based on the Action Guidelines)
   Related Information (Measures to be Taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Response to the Military Actions Taken Against Iraq)
   Related Information (UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) and other International Peace Cooperation)
   
7. Question concerning Japanese nationals entering Iraq

   Q: Regarding the word on the people entering Iraq this morning, how many people is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aware of that are currently waiting outside the borders in the neighboring countries to enter Iraq, aside from media?

   Mr. Takashima: My understanding is that five more people are waiting to go into Iraq in the Arab Republic of Syria and that they are members of a Japanese citizens group.

   Q: In light of the fact that the Government of Japan is showing support for the US attack, it seems that the number of people who are willing to participate in the so-called human shield or other acts of defiance to the attack, would you consider this to be an embarrassment perhaps for the Japanese Government and its inability to convince them not to go?

   Mr. Takashima: They are acting on their own will. We are trying to persuade them not to go into dangerous areas such as Baghdad or anywhere in Iraq, or Kuwait and the neighboring areas. However, since they are acting on their will, we cannot enforce any sort of actions.