Press Conference 25 October 2005
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea
- Visit by Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa to Switzerland, Kenya and Rwanda
- Selection of next Secretary-General of the OECD: Outcome of the first stage of consultations
- Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting
- "Iftar" (fast-breaking during Holy Ramadan Month) at the Prime Minister's Official Residence
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq
- Capacity Building for African Union Forces in Darfur: A project in Sudan
- Negotiations for the Conclusion of the Social Security Agreement (tentative name) between Japan and the Netherlands
- Follow-up questions concerning visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon
- Question concerning celebrations commemorating the 60th anniversary of the return of Taiwan to the People's Republic of China
- Questions concerning Japan-US negotiations on realignment of US Forces
- Questions concerning Japan-North Korea talks
- Questions concerning Food Safety Commission
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea
Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Good afternoon, and let me begin the conference. First, I have to make a number of announcements.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the Republic of Korea (ROK) will visit Japan from 27 to 29 October as a working visit upon invitation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
On 27 October, Minister Ban will hold a Japan-ROK foreign ministerial meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka, and exchange views on current Japan-ROK relations and on issues of common interest such as the regional and international situation.
During his stay in Japan, Minister Ban will also pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. - Visit by Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa to Switzerland, Kenya and Rwanda
Mr. Taniguchi: You now have a couple of handouts. One is about Ms. Sawako Takeuchi, who is a candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), about which I will talk about later on. The other is about the next issue that I am just about to touch on, and that is about the relief effort for the victims of the earthquake in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and surrounding areas.
As you may recall, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shuzen Tanigawa to Pakistan immediately after the earthquake, as part of the ongoing effort to help support Pakistani people tackle the aftershocks of the earthquake.
Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa will this time visit not Pakistan but Geneva, Switzerland. In Geneva, Minister Aisawa will attend a Ministerial-level Meeting for assistance of the countries affected by the South-Asia Earthquake. He will also meet and have talks with key persons of international organizations, including the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to promote Japan's humanitarian assistance diplomacy in line with the Trust Fund for Human Security. So that is what he is going to do in Geneva.
Following this, the Senior Vice-Minister will also visit two African nations, one of which is the Republic of Kenya. There he is going to visit the refugee camps administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). I understand that these camps are for the refugees from the Republic of the Sudan.
Following this, he will also make a visit to the Republic of Rwanda. Actually, it has been 23 years since the Government of Japan has sent a senior-level official to this country, so this is a significant visit for both sides. There, Minister Aisawa is going to visit a project site for fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, financed by the Global Fund.
It is expected that Minister Aisawa's visit will demonstrate Japan's assistance for the large-scale earthquake disaster that hit Pakistan and the surrounding areas, show Japan's contribution to humanitarian assistance to the international society through the exchange of views with international organizations for humanitarian assistance and visit to a project site, as well as contribute to even stronger Japan-Kenya and Japan-Rwanda relations.
- Selection of next Secretary-General of the OECD: Outcome of the first stage of consultations
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, let me just say a little bit about Ms. Takeuchi.
She has been running for the head of OECD, and we are firmly behind her.
At the Meeting of Heads of Delegation (HOD) of the OECD held on 21 October (French time), Chairman Wilhelm B. Jaggi, Swiss Ambassador, who is the Permanent Representative to the OECD, reported on the outcome of the first stage of consultations regarding the selection of its next Secretary-General.
As a result, Ms. Sawako Takeuchi, the candidate from Japan, will move on to the next stage, together with two other candidates: Mr. Marek Belka from the Republic of Poland, and Mr. Angel Gurria from the United Mexican States.
At the second stage of consultations to be held on 3 November, each Member country is asked to give the names of two candidates in order of preference.
You will see the bio of Ms. Takeuchi, and I can tell you that she is one of the most internationally experienced academics of her generation. She has taught at educational institutions in Paris and has dual degrees in engineering and business management if my memory serves me well. We are very much hoping that she is going to make it, but she is going to have to face the next round of the selection process. So that is about Ms. Takeuchi.
- Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, there is going to be a meeting called the Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting on 9 November in Tokyo held by the Foreign Press Center/Japan as a project commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Five journalists from the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan will participate in the Meeting as panelists.
- "Iftar" (fast-breaking during Holy Ramadan Month) at the Prime Minister's Official Residence
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, perhaps as you may already know, Prime Minister Koizumi invited the Ambassadors from Islamic nations to host an "Iftar," which is literally breakfast during the Holy Ramadan Month, at his office in the evening of 24 October.
44 representatives from the Islamic Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo were invited to the Iftar.
The purpose of the Iftar event is to deepen the understanding about Islamic culture with a view to promoting mutual understanding through strengthening dialogue between Japan and the Islamic world.
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, Minister of Public Works Nasreen Mustafa Sadiq Barwari of Iraq is now visiting Japan from 23 until 26 October.
During her stay, Minister Barwari will meet with key officials of the Government of Japan to exchange views on such matters as reconstruction assistance to Iraq and the political process in Iraq in the future. She will also visit a water recycling center and other facilities.
And indeed at the joint press conference that she has already given, she has said that she is very much thankful for Japan's continued effort in Iraq.
If I may add a little bit on this matter, Minister Barwari expressed gratitude for Japan's humanitarian support effort in Samawah and made a request to Foreign Minister MACHIMURA that Japan continue to station troops in Iraq. She also added that as a minister who is in charge of municipal governments she is well aware that the people in the Samawah area have been very much appreciative of the activities of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) which have been sent there. So that is about Minister Barwari and her visit to Japan which is now going on.
- Capacity Building for African Union Forces in Darfur: A project in Sudan
Mr. Taniguchi: The next announcement is about human security. On 25 October, the Government of Japan and the United Nations (UN) decided to extend assistance of approximately 309.36 million yen through the Trust Fund for Human Security to a project entitled "Capacity Building for African Union Forces in Darfur" that will be implemented by UN agencies in Sudan.
This project focuses on improving the human rights situation and empowering local people and internally displaced persons (IDPs), including women, children and the elderly, in North, West and South Darfur, who are facing various threats as a result of the internal conflict in the region. These include, but are not limited to, attacks by armed groups, sexual exploitation, plundering and restrictions on their freedom of movement. This project will provide training on international humanitarian and human rights law to the troops of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) currently deployed in Darfur for protecting the local people and the IDPs. The objective of the training is to establish better norms of actions amongst these troops.
- Negotiations for the Conclusion of the Social Security Agreement (tentative name) between Japan and the Netherlands
Mr. Taniguchi: One other point before taking questions. Negotiations for the Conclusion of the Social Security Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are being held in Hague from 24 to 28 October.
The participants on the Japanese side are officials concerned headed by Director of the European Policy Division Norio Maruyama of the Foreign Ministry, and on the Dutch side, officials concerned headed by Head of Conventions and National Insurance Department Cees Van den Berg of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. So this has a lot to do with the situation of business people in both nations.
- Follow-up questions concerning visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon
Q: On the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon of the ROK to Japan, you said that he will be meeting with Foreign Minister MACHIMURA on 27 October. Do you know the specific time?
Mr. Taniguchi: It has not been decided yet.
Q: How about with Prime Minister Koizumi? When will that meeting take place?
Mr. Taniguchi: The same can be said.
Q: There are reports saying that Minister Ban Ki-Moon is likely to ask for Japan's apology for Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine and will also demand that Prime Minister Koizumi not visit the shrine anymore. What are your reactions to that?
Mr. Taniguchi: There are certainly a number of issues that both nations are going to discuss. Minister Ban Ki-Moon is going to say what he really wants the Japanese side to understand, but so far, we have not heard anything yet as to the issues and topics that are going to be discussed by these two ministers.
In terms of Yasukuni, already the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows the position of the Japanese Government, mainly that Prime Minister Koizumi is not visiting the shrine to worship the war criminals. He is doing that to honor the war dead and express gratitude to those people who lost their lives during the war and to wish once again that Japan will not have any more wars with neighboring nations. Those are the points that he has repeatedly made, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has of course been trying hard to let as many people as possible understand these points.
- Question concerning celebrations commemorating the 60th anniversary of the return of Taiwan to the People's Republic of China
Q: I do not hear much about any celebrations or commemorations here but it has been 60 years since Taiwan has been returned to the People's Republic of China since Japan's occupation of Taiwan. Yesterday and today, there have been a lot of celebrations going on in mainland China. Do you have any comments, reactions or words to that?
Mr. Taniguchi: I do not think it is appropriate for me to make any comment about that.
- Questions concerning Japan-US negotiations on realignment of US Forces
Q: Can you give us any updates on the negotiations going on between Japan and the United States of America (US) on the realignment of US Forces?
Mr. Taniguchi: This is the second day of the bilateral talks about the issue that you mentioned, and we are very much hopeful to have a 2+2 meeting in due course. Both parties are discussing the matter right now so I cannot give you any updates other than that.
Q: Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs Richard Lawless of the US seemed to have mentioned in the conference this morning that he finds there is uncertainty over whether the parties concerned will be able to reach a conclusion by tomorrow. Does it indicate that this meeting between Mr. Lawless and Japanese officials may also be held tomorrow or is it scheduled until today? Is it a fixed schedule?
Mr. Taniguchi: Foreign Minister MACHIMURA said this morning that he wants to conclude the meeting today. We are very much hopeful that it will end within today.
- Questions concerning Japan-North Korea talks
Q: Also about North Korea, I have been hearing reports that a day seems to have been set between Japanese and North Korean officials, which is 2 November. Can you confirm this?
Mr. Taniguchi: No we cannot I am afraid. If you look at the calendar, it is understood that the next round of the Six-Party Talks is going to be held in the first part of November. At the end of this month, President Hu Jintao of China is going to make a visit to North Korea. We have been saying that we would like to have the bilateral talks with North Korea before the next round of the Six-Party Talks. Perhaps sometime in the beginning of November, we would like to have a meeting with the North Korean side. It will be a natural conclusion if you look at the calendar, but the point is, we have not heard any concrete dates as of yet.
Q: I just want to clarify. The ashes and bones that North Korea presented last year to Japan, did North Korea claim that the bones belong only to Ms. Megumi Yokota or did it say that they belong to other abductees as well?
Mr. Taniguchi: I have not heard anything about that. I do not think the North Korean side has said that the bones and ashes are of people other than Ms. Megumi Yokota. That is the observation that Japan has found.
Q: If the Japan-North Korea talks are realized in early November, what would be the main points that Japan would like to bring up?
Mr. Taniguchi: As before, the Japanese Government is going to be willing to start negotiations in the run up to the normalization of the two countries only after solving a number of important issues like missile and abduction, of course, and other issues. So those points are going to be raised during the talks.
- Questions concerning Food Safety Commission
Q: I have a question on the import of US beef to Japan. I have heard that the Food Safety Commission held a meeting yesterday. They were supposed to come up with some sort of a conclusion but they did not. From this day onwards, how are things going to be taken with regard to this beef issue?
Mr. Taniguchi: The Food Safety Commission is a sort of parent organization under which exists another committee, which is the Prion Expert Committee. What you are talking about is the meeting of this Prion Expert Committee that was held as you said yesterday.
The Food Safety Commission is having its regular meeting on Thursday. The next thing is to let this parent committee, the Food Safety Commission, to make a judgment on the report sent from this Prion Expert Committee. If they could decide on the policy, the next thing that they are going to have to do is put that through a process called public comment. Those are the procedures that are going to take place from now on.
You will see what sort of result will come out, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not in a position to make any comments on the Food Safety Commission or the Prion Expert Committee. We are saying that a judgment is going to be made on a scientific basis in view of food security, and I understand that this procedure is going on pretty much as scheduled.
Q: So the Prion Expert Committee consists of scientists and the parent committee, the Food Safety Commission, consists of government officials? Is there a difference in their expertise?
Mr. Taniguchi: I can say that the main difference between the two committees is that, as you said, the Prion Expert Committee is comprised of scientists, veterinarians, doctors and so on. They are all actually scientists, professors and doctors but not on the payroll of taxpayers' money. In the parent committee, there are eight people and four are, I understand, on the payroll of the Government.
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