Press Conference 6 January 2004

1. Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates
2. Upcoming visit by Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa to People's Republic of China
3. Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi on the adoption of a new constitution in Afghanistan
4. Assistance for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Swaziland and assistance for supporting children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe
5. Emergency relief assistance from Japan for recent earthquake in Iran
6. Question concerning recent communication with Taiwanese authorities
7. Question concerning possible date for resumption of six-party talks
8. Question concerning new case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China

1. Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates

   Assistant Press Secretary Jiro Okuyama: Happy New Year and thank you very much for coming to this briefing. I have several things to say at the outset.

   First of all, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi is now in Tehran to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran from 5 to 7 January and the United Arab Emirates from 7 to 8 January.

   During her stay in Iran, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will meet with President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi to exchange views on the Iraqi situation, Iran's nuclear issue, bilateral relations and other matters.

   In the United Arab Emirates, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to exchange views on the Iraqi situation and other matters.

   This will be the second visit to Iran by Foreign Minister Kawaguchi. The first visit was in May 2002. The latest visit to the United Arab Emirates by a Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs was in January 2001.

   Related Information (Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Visit Iran and the United Arab Emirates)
   
2. Upcoming visit by Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa to People's Republic of China

   Mr. Okuyama: Second, on another visit to take place this week, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa will visit the People's Republic of China from 7 to 9 January.

   In Beijing, he will meet Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Dai Bingguo and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, and he will also pay a courtesy call on State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan to discuss bilateral relations in general and also such international issues as the situation in North Korea. It will be the first time for Vice-Minister Aisawa to visit China.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
3. Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi on the adoption of a new constitution in Afghanistan

   Mr. Okuyama: Third, I would like to draw your attention to Foreign Minister Kawaguchi's welcome remark on the adoption of the constitution by the Loya Jirga in Afghanistan which was issued yesterday.

   Related Information (Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of a New Constitution in Afghanistan)
   
4. Assistance for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Swaziland and assistance for supporting children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe

   Mr. Okuyama: Fourth, I would also like to draw your attention to two press releases which we issued yesterday and are now available on the Foreign Ministry's English-language website on two projects utilizing the Trust Fund for Human Security: one for Swaziland and the other for Zimbabwe.

   Related Information (Assistance for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Swaziland)
   Related Information (Assistance for Supporting Children and Adolescents Affected by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe)
   
5. Emergency relief assistance from Japan for recent earthquake in Iran

   Mr. Okuyama: Fifth, in response to the earthquake disaster in Bam in the southeastern part of Iran, I would like to give you an update on what has already been provided.

   In sum, soon after the earthquake happened, Japan dispatched an international emergency relief medical team, and provided assistance in goods and also financial assistance. So far, close to US$2 million assistance has been provided. This includes assistance to five Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which are now operating on the ground for relief activities. Some of the goods have been transported by Self-Defense Forces (SDF) aircraft.

   From now on we will try to get more information on the needs on the ground from the medium- to long-term perspective and will consider what Japan will be able to do to alleviate the aftermath of the disaster.

   To briefly go into the breakdown of this emergency assistance to the disaster in Bam, so far 23 people have been dispatched, including four doctors. They have already examined and treated hundreds of people on the ground.

   As for the provision of emergency relief goods, we have provided approximately US$320,000.00, including 11 water tanks, 112 tents, 65 generators, 4,000 blankets, 700 sleeping mats and other items. As I mentioned, some of these goods have been transported by SDF aircraft.

   We are also providing emergency grant financial assistance. The money for food in the amount of approximately US$770,000.00 will be transmitted to the Iranian Government shortly.

   Additionally, we have provided assistance through Japanese NGOs in the approximate amount of US$810,000.00 for five NGOs, including Peace Winds Japan, which are now operating on the ground and are heavily engaged in relief activities.

   Related Information (Japan-Iran Relations)
   
6. Question concerning recent communication with Taiwanese authorities

   Q: At the end of last year, there was a representation made by Japan to the Taiwan authorities. Since it was a significant move, could you explain what the background to this was?

   Mr. Okuyama: The representation in question was made from Chief Representative of the Taiwan Office of the Interchange Association Katsuhisa Uchida in Taipei to Secretary-General Chiou I-jen.

   It had two pillars: one is that Japan strongly hoped that the issues surrounding Taiwan would be resolved peacefully through dialogue and that the dialogue to that end would be resumed at an early date; and two, the recent remarks by President Chen Shui-bian, including on the implementation of a referendum and on the establishment of a new Constitution, have led to tense relations between Mainland China and Taipei, and we are very much concerned over this development as it may adversely affect the peace and stability of the Straits of Taiwan and this region at large. We need to avoid the worsening of the situation.

   We hope that for the peace and stability of this region, President Chen will take a cautious approach by observing the "four nos and one will not," which were mentioned in his inauguration speech will be observed.

   Q: It is reported in Taiwan that this Japanese move is interference in the internal affairs of Taiwan. What would be the explanation from the Japanese Government?

   Mr. Okuyama: Japan's relations with Taiwan have been non-governmental and working interchanges. From this point of view, we thought that the tense relations that we are now observing are something that merits friendly advice from the Japanese side.

   Q: It is being said that this representation was made solely under the instruction from the China and Mongolia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Is this true?

   Mr. Okuyama: It was a judgment of the entire Foreign Ministry and the Japanese Government at large rather than a single sub-section of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

   Q: Was this judgment by Japan to make such representation to the Taiwan authorities influenced in any way by such third countries as the United States?

   Mr. Okuyama: Japan's relationship with Mainland China and Taiwan has a very long historical background and Japan has special relations of importance with China, so our judgment on the situation between Mainland China and Taiwan would in no way be affected or influenced by a third country such as the United States.

   Q: The Japanese Government would not interfere in the internal affairs of such countries as the United States. For example, the Japanese Government would not say to a Presidential candidate whether he or she should do one thing or another. In connection with this, how is it that the Japanese Government was ready to make the representation to a high official of the Taiwan authorities?

   Mr. Okuyama: Basically, it is an informal working relationship that Japan has with Taiwan, and our judgment to make the representation as of at this moment was based on this basic concept of the relations with Taiwan. We also hope that the people of Taiwan will understand that Japan in fact repeated its long-held position that the issues relating to Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through dialogue between the parties concerned and that the dialogue would be resumed at an early date in order to reduce the tension.

   Q: I hear that back in November the Government of China through its missions in various countries informed those respective countries that China would be ready to resort to certain coercive action against the moves that were being seen in Taiwan. Did the Japanese Government receive such information from the Chinese Government?

   Mr. Okuyama: As with any usual bilateral relations, the Japanese Government has been in touch with the Chinese Government, and there have been exchanges of views and representations being made as routine diplomatic activities. We would rather refrain from either confirming or denying whether such information was conveyed from the Chinese side.

   Q: It was reported that former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori made a similar representation to the Chinese side along the lines of what the Japanese Government was about to do four days later. Was there any coordination between the Japanese Government and former Prime Minister Mori?

   Mr. Okuyama: Former Prime Minister Mori's visit to Taiwan was a private visit. Thus, we are not aware of what exactly went on between former Prime Minister Mori and the people that he actually met. As it was a private visit, it would be inconceivable that the Japanese Government had coordinated its move with the former Prime Minister's visit.

   Related Information (Taiwan)
   
7. Question concerning possible date for resumption of six-party talks

   Q: What is the current status regarding the second round of six-nation talks on North Korea? I believe they were being organized mainly by China. What are the prospects of convening the talks by the end of this month?

   Mr. Okuyama: I am afraid that I do not really have much new on this. We are continuing diplomatic efforts with the countries concerned for holding of the six-party talks at an early timing sometime this year. However, no specific dates have been decided for the second round.

   Japan's position is that we should hold the next round as soon as possible without any preconditions and we would like to continue to closely talk with the countries concerned for an early holding of the next round. We believe that we should utilize the six-party talks process, and we would like to actively engage ourselves in a comprehensive solution of the nuclear issue of North Korea through peaceful and diplomatic means.

   If I may just mention about the bilateral process concerning the return of the families of the former abductees, we have been working on the North Korean side through our Beijing route on various occasions so that this issue will be solved and the return will materialize as soon as possible. We believe that the North Korean side should expeditiously agree to the holding of consultations on this abduction issue. As we move ahead, we would like to bear fully in mind the intentions and the feelings of the former abductees and also their family members in Japan. We will never fail to seize each and every opportunity to work on North Korea for their positive and forthcoming responses on this issue.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
8. Question concerning new case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China

   Q: What is Japan's response to the latest report of a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) case in China. It was the first case since June in that country. Will there be any changes to the travel advisories?

   Mr. Okuyama: We are watching the development very carefully and closely to see if there is any change for us to renew our outstanding travel advice. However, we have not come to any conclusion that we should do so. As of this moment, we have nothing new to say on the recent development on SARS, but we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

   Related Information (Health and Medical Care)