Press Conference 30 September 2003

1. Upcoming visit to Japan by President Vicente Fox Quesada of the United Mexican States
2. Assistance for Food Security in Timor Leste
3. Asset-freezing measures to Hamas (including Hamas-Izz al-Din al-Qassem)

1. Upcoming visit to Japan by President Vicente Fox Quesada of the United Mexican States

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon. Today I have three announcements I would like to make.

   First, about the visit to Japan by President Vicente Fox Quesada of the United Mexican States.

   President Fox and his wife will pay a State Visit to Japan from 15 to 18 October. During their stay in Japan, the President and Mrs. Fox will make a State Call on Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan who will host a State Dinner in honor of the President and Mrs. Fox.

   President Fox will also hold a meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The Government of Japan sincerely welcomes the visit of the President and Mrs. Fox which will further strengthen the friendly relations existing between Japan and Mexico.

   Related Information (Announcement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Visit to Japan of His Excellency Mr. Vicente Fox Quesada, President of the United Mexican States, and Mrs. Fox)
   
2. Assistance for food security in Timor Leste

   Mr. Takashima: Second, about the assistance for food security in Timor Leste.

   The Government of Japan and the United Nations (UN) today decided to extend assistance of a total of US$379,606 through the Trust Fund for Human Security to the project to reduce the post harvest losses that is to be implemented in Timor Leste by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN.

   The goal of this project is to improve the food security status of rural communities through the reduction of post harvest losses and improved household storage capacity. Activities include consolidation of post harvest loss reduction techniques, such as the wider use of silos for post harvest storage and training of rural blacksmiths in silo construction, training of NGOs, district agriculture officers and farmers on post harvest management technology, and establishment of seed store facilities to respond to climate adversities and increase of returnees.

   This project is expected to strengthen storage capacity and ensure an emergency reserve stock as well as to enable farmers to store their harvest for the purpose of income generation, which eventually contributes to poverty reduction.

   Related Information (Assistance for Food Security in Timor Leste)
   
3. Asset-freezing measures to Hamas (including Hamas-Izz al-Din al-Qassem)

   Mr. Takashima: Third, about the asset-freezing measures to Hamas (including Hamas-Izz al-Din al-Qassem).

   The Government of Japan today decided to apply asset-freezing measures to Hamas and 16 individuals. These measures are taken in pursuance of the decision of the Al-Quaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.

   With this decision, the individuals and entities identified on the asset-freezing list of the Japanese Government will number 403. These measures will be taken into effect by issuance of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement scheduled on 1 October.

   Related Information (Counter Terrorism)