Press Conference 9 November 2004

1. Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
2. Questions concerning Japan-North Korea working-level talks in Pyongyang, North Korea
3. Questions concerning attacks in Fallujah, Iraq
4. Question concerning telephone conversation between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President George W. Bush of the United States of America
5. Questions concerning Japanese assistance in Iraq
6. Question concerning US Ambassador to Japan Howard H. Baker's statement regarding Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in Iraq
7. Questions concerning Iran's nuclear activities
8. Question concerning definition of "international community"
9. Questions concerning upcoming 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Santiago, Republic of Chile

1. Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon and thank you very much for coming to the briefing. Today, I would like to make one announcement before I take questions.

   It is about the Japanese assistance for Palestinian refugees.

   The Government of Japan has decided to extend assistance of about US$4.83 million in total to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to support its three projects in the educational sector and to assist its general budgets in educational and other general fields.

   The project includes the Construction and Furnishing of 24 Classrooms in the Republic of Lebanon, the establishment of the Japanese Scholarship Grant Programme to Palestinian Women for Higher Academic Studies in Lebanon, and Construction of Standard Computer Laboratories and Multi-Purpose Rooms at Six UNRWA's School Buildings and Renovation of Learning Resource Centre in the Syrian Arab Republic.

   In view of the plight of the Palestine refugees, since 1953, Japan has continuously and proactively extended humanitarian assistance through the United Nations agency. The promotion of human resource development and the enhancement of the independence of the Palestinian refugees by means of this assistance are expected to improve the lives of the refugees, who have been in difficult circumstances for over half a century, thereby contributing to the promotion of the Middle East peace process.

   Related Information (Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA))
   
2. Questions concerning Japan-North Korea working-level talks in Pyongyang, North Korea

   Q: The Japanese delegation left for Pyongyang today. Any details? Have they arrived? Have the meetings been started?

   Mr. Takashima: I have not received any information as to whether or not they have already arrived. The schedule is that they will be staying for at least four days in Pyongyang and have close consultations with their North Korean counterparts. They expect that they will be able to meet the one who is in charge of conducting thorough studies and checking the fate of the ten missing people in North Korea.

   Q: Can you confirm if they have actually arrived?

   Mr. Takashima: We are expecting to have some sort of a brief announcement of their arrival and also their activities for today.

   Q: Do you have the names of those North Korean counterparts?

   Mr. Takashima: Not at this moment.

   Q: Could you tell us if the Japanese Government has any comments on North Korea's failure to notify to Japan its lineup delegation in advance in light of the diplomatic protocol?

   Mr. Takashima: We have been consulting with North Korea on the ways and means and also the rank of the participants for this round of working-level talks. As far as Japan is concerned, we have sent Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Mitoji Yabunaka of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the head of the delegation. We expect that the North Korean side will match their level. It is not necessary to have all the names available to us in advance. It is up to the occasion and also, the actual development of the consultation and negotiation. If necessary, we will make a request for a particular person or official in charge of a certain aspect of the abduction cases. It is up to the development of the negotiation itself.

   Q: Are the talks expected to start today?

   Mr. Takashima: The original schedule is to have this visit start today and last for at least four days, and if necessary, it might be extended. Other than that, I do not have any detailed itinerary or schedule of the talks.

   Q: It is not really related to the news stories, but are there any Japanese journalists over there together with the Japanese delegation?

   Mr. Takashima: My understanding is that there are no Japanese journalists or at least journalists affiliated with certain media.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
3. Questions concerning attacks in Fallujah, Iraq

   Q: I have a question about the situation in Iraq. I read some reports stating that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is supporting the attack being waged now against Fallujah and that he wishes success to that attack. We all know that the civilian casualty in that city is huge as we always see on TV. So when Prime Minister Koizumi made such a statement, did he not consider that such encouragement would increase civilian casualties in Iraq?

   Mr. Takashima: I am not aware of any statements made by Prime Minister Koizumi in connection with the attack in Fallujah itself. However, the Japanese Government and also Prime Minister Koizumi are very much concerned about the security situation in Iraq, especially in Fallujah and other areas. We hope that security would be reestablished by the effort of the Iraqi Interim Government and also forces including those of the United States of America and others.

   Q: Does Japan support this attack in Fallujah?

   Mr. Takashima: We are not in a position to either support or not support, but we would like to see security reestablished in that country because in order to have a political process, including the election in January carried out as planned, one of the most important factors is the maintenance of security in Iraq, especially in the area of the so-called Sunni Triangle.

   Q: By all means.

   Mr. Takashima: It is up to the Iraqi Government because it has the authority to decide what sort of actions or methods is necessary to maintain its security.

   Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)
   
4. Question concerning telephone conversation between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President George W. Bush of the United States of America

   Q: I heard that there was a telephone conversation last night between Prime Minister Koizumi and President George W. Bush of the US. Was Prime Minister Koizumi informed of the Fallujah operation by President Bush last night?

   Mr. Takashima: There was not any discussion on the situation in Fallujah between the two leaders. My understanding is that the telephone conversation was not very long and that basically, it was an exchange of words of congratulations from the Japanese side and appreciation from the US side. They both expressed their hope to see each other in Santiago on the occasion of the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
5. Questions concerning Japanese assistance in Iraq

   Q: Does Japan extend any logistic support for the forces in Fallujah?

   Mr. Takashima: The activities of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are limited to humanitarian assistance in the Samawah area, and we do not have any plans to support any sort of activities of the coalition forces in any part of Iraq or other areas.

   Q: Japan now, I think, does some transportation support for the US forces in the State of Kuwait and Iraq.

   Mr. Takashima: Actually, I was talking about the Ground Self-Defense Forces (GSDF). The Air Self-Defense Forces (ASDF) are providing the transportation service for the coalition.

   Q: What kinds of activities are involved in this transportation service?

   Mr. Takashima: Occasionally, we make a report on the activities that they are doing, but I do not have any information on their recent activities right now. Basically, it involves the transportation of cargo and also, some transportation of personnel.

   Q: Cargo for ammunitions for example?

   Mr. Takashima: Light ammunitions carried by the soldiers of the coalition forces are allowed, but other than that, the heavy artilleries or weapons as such are not expected to be transported by the ASDF.

   Related Information (Japan's Assistance Measures)
   
6. Question concerning US Ambassador to Japan Howard H. Baker's statement regarding Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in Iraq

   Q: I also read yesterday in most Japanese media that US Ambassador to Japan Howard H. Baker expressed his wish that Japan extend its mission in Iraq. Are you aware of such a statement? What is your comment?

   Mr. Takashima: I am aware of the press report on US Ambassador Baker's press conference. We have not received any formal or informal request from the US Embassy in Tokyo or the US Government on extending the deployment of the SDF in Samawah. The decision on whether or not the extension is done is up to the Japanese Government. The Government will decide in due course.

7. Questions concerning Iran's nuclear activities

   Q: I have a question on the Islamic Republic of Iran. There are some reports that Iran is involved in nuclear energy development for peaceful use. What are Japan's basic policies on this issue?

   Mr. Takashima: We have been urging the Iranian Government to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Also, we have been urging them to suspend any sort of activities related to uranium enrichment because it was stated in the resolution adopted at the last IAEA meeting. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Hitoshi Tanaka is in Iran to discuss this issue with the Iranian Government in which he is expected to urge the Iranian Government to fully comply with the resolution which was adopted at the IAEA board meeting in Vienna.

   Q: Does Japan have any objection to, for example, Iran's development of nuclear energy for peaceful use?

   Mr. Takashima: The Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) actually allows non-nuclear weapons countries to use nuclear energy in a peaceful manner. That is the reason why Japan is using nuclear energy in a peaceful manner.

   In the case of Iran, there is serious doubt among the international community that the Iranian nuclear development is not only for energy use but also for weapons development. Our position is that Iran has to assure the international community that their activities are not related to nuclear weapons programs. This is the first thing they have to do. The international community, if they are sure that the Iranian intention is as such, then there is a good possibility that their peaceful use of nuclear energy will be accepted by the international community as a whole.

   Q: Is Japan still opposed to sending this issue to the United Nations (UN) Security Council?

   Mr. Takashima: Currently, the European Union (EU) countries, especially the United Kingdom (UK), the French Republic, and the Federal Republic of Germany, are working very closely with Iranian authorities so we would like to see the result of this negotiation.

   Related Information (Japan-Iran Relations)
   
8. Question concerning definition of "international community"

   Q: What do you mean exactly by "international community?"

   Mr. Takashima: "International community" refers to the members of the IAEA firstly because the IAEA board meeting adopted the resolution to express the will of the international community.

   Related Information (Atomic Energy)
   
9. Questions concerning upcoming 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Santiago, Republic of Chile

   Q: Are there any topics Japan particularly wants to discuss at the 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting-trade issues or bilateral issues?

   Mr. Takashima: We would like to see the members of APEC further strengthen their economic relations through which we can all enjoy economic development and also prosperity. In order to do so, various aspects of each members' activities for economic development and also the trade issue would be discussed.

   Q: APEC is an economic grouping, but leaders have recently been discussing other issues like terrorism. Is terrorism going to be high on the agenda this time?

   Mr. Takashima: It is up to the leaders, but we will not be surprised if terrorism or any other security matter is picked up as the topic of discussion amongst the leaders. Also, other economic related issues would certainly be on the agenda.

   Related Information (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC))