Press Conference 14 September 2004

1. Emergency aid for flood disaster in Bangladesh
2. Emergency aid for hurricane disaster in Jamaica
3. Japan-US subcommittee on accident site cooperation
4. Questions concerning weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq

1. Emergency aid for flood disaster in Bangladesh

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

   The Government of Japan today decided to provide emergency grant aid of US$940,000 to the People's Republic of Bangladesh through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist their recovery from the heavy damage inflicted by a massive flood in July.

   This grant assistance is Japan's response to the appeal issued by the United Nations (UN) to mobilize the international effort to provide emergency relief aid for Bangladesh. In addition to this financial assistance of US$940,000, Japan has been providing various types of assistance including medical kits, water purification tools and food. The total amount of Japan's assistance for this flood disaster of Bangladesh including this one will be US$6.2 million.

   Related Information (Emergency Aid for Flood Disaster in Bangladesh)
   
2. Emergency aid for hurricane disaster in Jamaica

   Mr. Takashima: The Government of Japan decided yesterday to provide US$100,000 worth of emergency assistance to Jamaica where Hurricane Ivan caused massive damages. This assistance will include tents, electric generators, blankets and so forth.

   Related Information (Emergency Aid for Hurricane Disaster in Jamaica)
   
3. Japan-US subcommittee on accident site cooperatio.

   Mr. Takashima: The Governments of Japan and the United States of America today decided to set up a special joint subcommittee to study the ways the two countries can cooperate at the site of US forces helicopter and aircraft accidents in or out of US forces' facilities in Japan, such as the recent US transport helicopter crash in Okinawa. This subcommittee will be set up under the auspices of the Japan-US Joint Committee that deals with the issues relating to the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement.

   The Japanese delegation will be headed by Deputy Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau Kazuyoshi Umemoto of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The US delegation will be headed by Deputy Commander of US forces in Japan Bradley Baker. The first meeting will be held as early as this week.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
4. Questions concerning weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq

   Q: Secretary of State Colin Powell of the US testified at a congressional hearing that the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) has not been proven in Iraq and will not be proven in the future. Does US Secretary of State Powell's testimony jeopardize Japan's support for the military action against Iraq because the Japanese Government's decision was made on the basis that there would be WMD in Iraq?

   Mr. Takashima: The Government of Japan made its decision not because of US allegation that Iraq possesses WMD but because of the fact that Iraq has been violating a series of Security Council resolutions urging Iraq to comply with all the commitments it made with the international community including full inspection and disclosure of WMD and programs. Because Iraq continuously refused to comply with those international requirements stemming from UN Security Council resolutions, the international community decided to take the necessary actions which include measures that could cause grave consequences. Based upon those series of events, the Government of Japan decided to support the military action taken by the member countries of the UN. The decision was made because of Iraq's non-compliance with the resolutions.

   Q: Are you saying that Iraq's non-compliance with UN Security Council resolutions constitutes the rational for the military action against Iraq conducted by US and others regardless of whether there were actually WMD in Iraq?

   Mr. Takashima: Iraq had a chance to prove, if it were true, that it did not have WMD if it had complied with UN Security Council resolutions and accepted full international inspections with voluntary disclosure of all information concerning WMD. In addition, Iraq had a record of producing and possessing WMD in the past and of even using them against its people and others. Based upon those facts, the international community decided to adopt UN Security Council Resolution 1441 by which Iraq would have to face grave consequences if it did not comply with the resolution.

   Related Information (The Issue of Iraq)