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Press Conference 9 January 2004

  1. Attendance by Ms. Mayumi Moriyama, Member of the House of Representatives, at upcoming inauguration of President of the Republic of Guatemala
  2. Upcoming visit by Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Isao Matsumiya to Romania, Republic of Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3. Upcoming meeting for negotiations on economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Japan and Malaysia
  4. 100th anniversary of relations between Japan and Republic of Panama
  5. Telephone conversations between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi with High Representative for EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana of the European Union, Minister of Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yashwant Sinha of the Republic of India
  1. Attendance by Ms. Mayumi Moriyama, Member of the House of Representatives, at upcoming inauguration of President of the Republic of Guatemala

    Assistant Press Secretary Jiro Okuyama: Good afternoon. Today I have several announcements to make.

    Firstly, the Government of Japan has decided to send Ms. Mayumi Moriyama, Member of the House of Representatives, as Special Ambassador of the Japanese Government to the inauguration ceremony of the President of the Republic of Guatemala, Mr. Oscar Berger, to be held in the capital of Guatemala City on 14 January.

    Japan is one of the major donors to Guatemala and has been assisting the self-help efforts of Guatemala's peace process which had started in 1996 and the consolidation of democracy in the country. Guatemala has been making efforts to reinforce ties with the Asia-Pacific region including Japan, and a number of VIPs, including former President Alfonso Portillo, has visited Japan. It is with these bilateral relations in mind that we have decided to send a special envoy to the inauguration ceremony in order to further reinforce the bilateral relations.

    Related Information (Japan-Guatemala Relations)
  2. Upcoming visit by Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Isao Matsumiya to Romania, Republic of Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Mr. Okuyama: Secondly, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Isao Matsumiya will visit Romania, Republic of Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina from 11 to 18 January.

    In Romania and Bulgaria, Parliamentary Secretary Matsumiya will have talks with government officials to discuss bilateral economic cooperation bearing in mind the two countries' accession to the European Union (EU) expected to take place in 2007 as well as other issues including the situation in Southeast Europe.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is the source of greatest conflict in Europe after World War II, Mr. Matsumiya will have exchange of views with government officials and representatives of international organizations on bilateral relations and measures for further implementation of the peace, as well as the situation of the former Yugoslavian countries.

    Related Information (Japan-Romania Relations)
    Related Information (Japan-Bulgaria Relations)
    Related Information (Japan-Bosnia and Herzegovina Relations)
  3. Upcoming meeting for negotiations on economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Japan and Malaysia

    Mr. Okuyama: Thirdly, we are expecting to announce later this afternoon that the first meeting of the formal negotiations on the economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Japan and Malaysia will take place on 13 January in Kuala Lumpur.

    Related Information (Japan-Malaysia Relations)
  4. 100th anniversary of relations between Japan and Republic of Panama

    Mr. Okuyama: Fourthly, I would like to briefly cover what has happened in the last couple of days. 7 January was the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Panama. The following exchange of messages between the leaders of the two countries took place to commemorate the occasion.

    On 6 January, our Ambassador in Panama Shuji Shimokoji visited Foreign Minister Harmodio Arias to express congratulations on the occasion of this 100th anniversary and handed over the message from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to President Mireya Moscoso.

    On the following day, Ambassador of Panama in Tokyo Raul Adames visited Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masatoshi Abe to express congratulations and handed over the message from President Moscoso to Prime Minister Koizumi.

    In order to mark this 100th anniversary, Japan and Panama are now actively considering VIP interchanges, cultural events and various ceremonial occasions to take place in 2004.

    Related Information (Japan-Panama Relations)
  5. Telephone conversations between Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi with High Representative for EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana of the European Union, Minister of Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yashwant Sinha of the Republic of India

    Mr. Okuyama: Lastly, while Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi was in Abu Dhabi, she held three telephone conversations:

    One on 7 January with Mr. Javier Solana, High Representative for EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The conversation was held at the initiative of Mr. Solana who was planning to visit Iran shortly. In the conversation, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi explained what transpired in her visits to Iran from 6 to 7 January, and the two exchanged views on the current situation in Iran.

    On 8 January, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi placed a telephone call to Minister of Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and to Minister of Foreign Affairs Yashwant Sinha of the Republic of India, respectively, to convey that Japan highly valued the progress being made for the improvement of ties between India and Pakistan, including the successful summit meeting between the two countries on the occasion of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit Meeting in Islamabad.

    Related Information (Japan-EU Relations)
    Related Information (Japan-Pakistan Relations)
    Related Information (Japan-India Relations)
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