Press Conference 24 February 2004

1. Upcoming Japan-United Mexican States negotiation on economic partnership agreement
2. Training program of Japan-Egypt Medical Technical Cooperation for Iraq
3. Emergency grant assistance for Afghan returnees
4. Emergency grant aid for the program for road mine clearance in Afghanistan
5. Formulation of basic plan for power supply in Iraq
6. Question concerning upcoming six-party talks on North Korea
7. Question concerning development plans for construction of rapid train system in China
8. Question concerning International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)
9. Question concerning possible US beef import in Mexico

1. Upcoming Japan-United Mexican States negotiation on economic partnership agreement

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon and thank you for coming to the briefing. Before taking questions, I would like to make several announcements.

   The first announcement is on negotiations between Japan and the United Mexican States on economic partnership agreement.

   The 14th round of negotiation between Japan and Mexico to reach an economic partnership agreement will be held in Tokyo from 25 February to 5 March. This negotiation will be attended by the officials of both governments and is expected to make efforts to consolidate the outline of the agreement by discussing such issues as market access and the wording of the draft of an agreement.

   Related Information (Japan-Mexico Relations)
   
2. Training program of Japan-Egypt Medical Technical Cooperation for Iraq

   Mr. Takashima: The second announcement is on the joint medical cooperation between Japan and the Arab Republic of Egypt for Iraq.

   The joint training program of the medical personnel of Iraq sponsored by Japan and Egypt will begin in Cairo on 5 March. This program will be participated by 100 Iraqi medical personnel including doctors, nurses and other medical staff and will be held for two weeks.

   This is part of the Joint Medical Technical Cooperation program co-sponsored by the Governments of Japan and Egypt, and the two governments hope that this program will provide an opportunity to improve the quality of medical services in Iraq.

   Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)
   
3. Emergency grant assistance for Afghan returnees

   Mr. Takashima: The third announcement is on assistance to Afghan returnees.

   The Government of Japan decided today to extend emergency grant assistance to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of about US$4.11 million to provide emergency aid for Afghan returnees and to implement a project to construct shelters.

   There are two parts of the project:

   1. Support for returnees (provision of necessities) which is to provide returnee assistance packages such as blankets as reintegration support for returnees at each UNHCR reception center set up on the border areas between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Afghanistan to support about 51,000 households of Afghan refugees who moved into Iran, and internally displaced persons.

   2. Material for shelter construction is expected to be provided in support of the construction of about 20,000 houses in 2004, as the repatriation of Afghan refugees and other displaced persons exceeds original expectations. This is to provide the returnees with material for shelters focusing on the northern and eastern parts of Afghanistan where returnees are expected to return up to the beginning of next year.

   Although Afghanistan has received more than 2.5 million of its refugees and internally displaced persons since 2002, it still has a substantial need to support returnees, as another million Afghans are expected to return this year.

   Related Information (Japan-Afghanistan Relations)
   
4. Emergency grant aid for the program for road mine clearance in Afghanistan

   Mr. Takashima: The fourth announcement is about the emergency grant aid for the program for mine clearance in Afghanistan.

   The Government of Japan decided today to provide emergency grant aid of about US$5.14 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement its program of mine clearance on the trunk road from Kandahar toward Herat in Afghanistan.

   As Afghan President Hamid Karzai made a political commitment to improve trunk roads, Japan has been supporting the efforts of the Karzai administration by, for example, constructing a road between Kabul and Kandahar together with the United States. The road opening ceremony was held at the end of last year. In response to a strong request from the Government of Afghanistan, Japan is planning to construct a road between Kandahar and Herat with the United States. Before this, Japan has decided to clear the route of landmines, which is an urgent and essential task to secure the safety of those engaged in the roadwork, including Japanese personnel concerned with assistance.

   Related Information (Japan-Afghanistan Relations)
   
5. Formulation of basic plan for power supply in Iraq

   Mr. Takashima: The fifth announcement is about assistance for Iraq.

   The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the UNDP have recently come to an agreement to conduct a survey in the field of power supply as part of assistance for Iraq's rehabilitation.

   This survey will be participated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and will analyze the present state of facilities of power generation, transmission and distribution and formulate a basic plan for the power supply system in this war-torn country. The result of this survey will be compiled in the summer this year and used for the formulation of Japan's yen loan aid programs. According to the needs assessment conducted by the World Bank and the United Nations, Iraq's total power supply capacity is now less than half of that in 1990. Although makeshift repairs have been done, a comprehensive rehabilitation plan is yet to be drawn up.

   Related Information (Formulation of Basic Plan for Power Supply in Iraq by Trilateral Cooperation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP))
   
6. Question concerning upcoming six-party talks on North Korea

   Q: The latest round of six-way talks on North Korea will begin in Beijing, People's Republic of China on 25 March. What does Japan hope will come out of those talks? And, is there any reason to expect any more progress or success than in previous talks?

   Mr. Takashima: We are hoping that this second round of six-party talks will produce progress toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and a resolution of the bilateral issues between Japan and North Korea, including the abduction cases.

   We have been urging North Korea to come forward with a positive attitude and manner on those serious problems we have before us. There are various press reports concerning the possible development and outcome of the negotiation to be held in Beijing from tomorrow onward, but we make no prejudgments of such things. Rather, we will participate in the talks without any preconceptions, except to say that our goal is to achieve a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of the nuclear development program of North Korea.

   Concerning the bilateral issues between Japan and North Korea, the Japanese side is hoping that during the course of these talks, there will be an opportunity to have the Japanese officials meet with the North Korean officials and to discuss the bilateral issues in accordance with the basic understanding and agreement reached during the recent Japan-North Korea talks in Pyongyang. Japan certainly will raise the issue of abduction during the opening remarks of the six-party talks because we would like to make it very clear that we want to achieve a comprehensive solution of all the issues concerning North Korea, including the abduction cases and the nuclear issues.

   Q: To follow that up, has anything changed since the last round of talks in August to make Japan think that this round will be any more productive?

   Mr. Takashima: The only visible difference is that North Korea agreed to hold bilateral talks between Japan and North Korea on top of agreeing to this second round of six-party talks. Other than that, we will see how North Korea will act at the actual scene of the talks.

   Related Information (Japan-North Korea Relations)
   
7. Question concerning development plans for construction of rapid train system in China

   Q: There have been reports in the Chinese press, the latest in the China Daily, suggesting that Japan's competition for building a rapid train in China would be jeopardized in some way by the activities of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in going to Yasukuni Shrine. Do you have a comment on that?

   Mr. Takashima: We are aware of that press report, but what I can say is that Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine is based upon his conviction that his visit there is to worship those who were killed during the war and to thank them for their sacrifice for the rebirth of the nation as well as to make a further vow for peace and for no war in the future.

   As far as the Government of Japan is concerned, we believe that this visit has nothing to do with any of the other issues between Japan and China or other countries. It is simply based upon the personal belief of Prime Minister Koizumi.

   On the rapid train system, my understanding is that the Government of China is still studying the feasibility of various types of train systems and has not reached any conclusion yet.

   Q: Has there been any indication at all of any dissatisfaction that would influence thinking?

   Mr. Takashima: The Japanese Government is not aware of such a notion by the Chinese Government.

   Related Information (Japan-China Relations)
   
8. Question concerning International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

   Q: The same question comes up with the issue of and international talks about the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. I believe the six countries that are participating in these discussions have deadlocked themselves in the last couple of meetings, the most recent being in Vienna, Austria on Saturday. In a press report, there was linkage again to that issue and the way in which the Chinese Government would vote. Could you comment on this? I personally noticed that China has actually been voting in about the same way as before these press reports appeared, but do you have any observations on those kinds of sentiments that are coming out in the press?

   Mr. Takashima: I have no comment to make, except to say that no decision has been taken at the last meeting on the ITER project held in Vienna at the senior officials level and that there will be a further round of talks.

   I cannot comment on the position of other countries, but at the last voting session, we are aware that the Chinese voted for the European Union's project. Since then, nothing has changed.

   Q: What will happen if this is never agreed and just continues? Can there be a deadlock forever? Obviously, there is only a set number of votes, is there not?

   Mr. Takashima: My understanding is that they agreed to hold another round of talks. In the meantime, we have to wait and see what sort of outcome it will produce.

   Q: Is the Japanese Government doing anything to enhance its position or to sell its location? Has there been any attempt to lobby support?

   Mr. Takashima: We have been conducting so-called lobbying activities by dispatching high-level missions to the member countries of the ITER commission and urging them to vote for us. The Government of Japan still believes that the Japanese project is feasible and will serve its purpose better than the EU project.

   Related Information (Science and Technology)
   
9. Question concerning possible US beef import in Mexico

   Q: The United States and Mexico are negotiating as we speak over the question of opening up Mexico to US beef imports, which have been banned from the country. Late last week, officials of the US Department of Agriculture indicated that they were very close to coming to an agreement although it would take a little bit longer.

   The issue arises that if the United States and Mexico were to agree that imports could be restarted, I am told by an official at the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that the Japanese Government would then have to consider doing something because it would raise the question of whether there could be leakage in the products exported from Mexico to Japan. Given that there are no active talks at the moment between Japan and the United States since last January, what would the Government think of a separate bilateral agreement between Mexico and the United States to reopen bilateral trade in beef?

   Mr. Takashima: We are certainly following the development of the issue very carefully, but the beef issue is now being negotiated between the Governments of Japan and the United States. The Japanese side has made it very clear that the crucial aspect is the safety of the beef as food as well as the Japanese consumers' satisfaction. The Japanese Government will decide in accordance with those two basic principles on whether Japan will react or act on the import of US beef.

   Q: If there was an agreement between Mexico and the United States, would that make a difference?

   Mr. Takashima: As I have said, American beef means beef produced in the United States.

   Q: What the Agricultural Ministry suggests is that the Government would have to react if such an agreement were to happen?

   Mr. Takashima: If and when such an agreement is reached between the United States and Mexico, and the Mexican Government decides to export beef originating from the United States to other countries, then we would study the situation and take necessary measures to prevent that US beef from coming into the Japanese market as long as the ban on US beef imports stands.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   Related Information (Japan-Mexico Relations)