Press Conference 28 October 2005
- Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka and National Security Advisor to the President of the United States Steven Hadley at the 2+2 Meeting
- Decommissioning of the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk
- First meeting of joint study for enhancing economic relations between Japan and Australia
- Grant aid to the Republic of Guatemala in response to tropical depression "Stan"
- Grant aid to Iraq
- Grant aid to the Republic of Nicaragua
- Grant aid to the Republic of Djibouti
- Follow-up questions concerning the schedule of Foreign Minister MACHIMURA at the 2+2 Meeting
- Follow-up question concerning the decommissioning of the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk
- Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka and National Security Advisor to the President of the United States Steven Hadley at the 2+2 Meeting
Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Good afternoon and thank you for coming to this briefing today.
First, Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka is going to attend the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee, the so-called 2+2 Meeting, and meet with National Security Advisor to the President of the United States of America Steven Hadley during the 2+2 Meeting. This is something new, that he will be meeting with Mr. Hadley as part of his itinerary. He is going to meet on 28 October and exchange views with him on future US-Japan relations and matters of common concern.
- Decommissioning of the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk
Mr. Taniguchi: Secondly, as you know already on 28 October the U.S. Navy has announced that the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk will be decommissioned in 2008 and will be succeeded by a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Government of Japan is of the view that the maintenance of a firm presence by the US Navy in the region, even after the decommission of the Kitty Hawk, will contribute to international peace and security.
- First meeting of joint study for enhancing economic relations between Japan and Australia
Mr. Taniguchi: Thirdly, the first meeting of joint study for enhancing economic relations between Japan and the Commonwealth of Australia will be held on Wednesday, 2 November in Tokyo to study the feasibility, or pros and cons, concerning a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) or a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Related Information (Japan-Australia Relations)
Related Information (FTA and EPA)
- Grant aid to the Republic of Guatemala in response to tropical depression "Stan"
Mr. Taniguchi: Fourthly, an emergency grant aid from Japan is going to be given to the Republic of Guatemala in response to tropical depression "Stan." On Friday, 28 October the Government of Japan decided to extend grant assistance of about US$780,000 to Guatemala, which suffered torrential rainfall caused by tropical depression "Stan," for purposes such as providing the afflicted people with food and other necessary good.
- Grant aid to Iraq
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, also about official development assistance (ODA), on Tuesday, 25 October the completion ceremony for the improved roads in the city of Samawah, of which total length is 15.65 kilometers, for which Japan decided to extend grassroots human security grant aid in January of this year, was held at the site of the Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) of Japan in Samawah. Japan has extended grant aid of about US$1.21 million in total to the Department of Samawah Municipality to asphalt the roads in the city of Samawah that have already been graveled by the GSDF. The ceremony was attended by the officials concerned of the Governorate of Al-Muthanna and the city of Samawah, and the officials and staff members concerned of the Liaison Office in Samawah of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the GSDF.
- Grant aid to the Republic of Nicaragua
Mr. Taniguchi: Next, the Government of Japan has decided to extend non-project grant aid totaling 800 million yen to the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, with a view to helping the country's efforts to improve its economic structure reform and disburse merchandises that needs to be imported for the improvement of the economic structure. Notes to this effect were exchanged on 27 October (26 October in local time) in Managua, Nicaragua, between Japanese Ambassador to Nicaragua Mitsuhiro Kagami and Minister of Foreign Affairs Norman Caldera Cardenal of Nicaragua.
- Grant aid to the Republic of Djibouti
Mr. Taniguchi: Lastly, the Government of Japan has decided to extend to the Government of the Republic of Djibouti non-project grant aid of about 300 million yen to disburse merchandises needed for the improvement of the economic structure. Notes to this effect were exchanged on Thursday, 27 October in Adis Abbaba, between Japanese Ambassador to Djibouti Kenjiro Izumi and Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary Ibrahim Mohamed Kamil of the Republic of Djibouti in Ethiopia.
- Follow-up questions concerning the schedule of Foreign Minister MACHIMURA at the 2+2 Meeting
Q: Regarding the 2+2 Meeting, is Foreign Minister MACHIMURA scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of the US?
Mr. Taniguchi: Yes, because it is between the Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister, and the Defense Secretary and the Head of the Japan Defense Agency.
Q: Is it going to be just the two of them?
Mr. Taniguchi: The bilateral meeting, you mean? It has been discussed.
- Follow-up question concerning the decommissioning of the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk
Q: There seems to be a view that the replacement of the Kitty Hawk by a nuclear-powered carrier seems like a quick miracle.
Mr. Taniguchi: No, it has been long discussed, it is just a coincidence.
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