Internet Press Chat Conference 22 December 2005
- Governmental Consultations between Japan and North Korea
- Establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission
- Presidential elections in the United Republic of Tanzania
- General elections including a presidential election in the Republic of Bolivia
- Visit by Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Cambodia
- Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
- Hand-over ceremony of solid waste management equipment to the Department of Samawah Municipality
- Grant aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Project for Improvement of Medical Equipment in Primary Health Care Institutions (Phase III)
- Debt-relief measure in the form of cancellation for the Republic of Zambia
- Visit to Japan by Russian junior judo team
- Japan-People's Republic of China Consultations concerning UN reform
- Question concerning Japan-China relations
- Follow-up question concerning Japan-China Consultations concerning UN reform
- Governmental Consultations between Japan and North Korea
Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Let me start today's Regular Internet Chat Press Conference. Today, I would like to make several announcements before I take questions.
The first is about Governmental Consultations between Japan and North Korea.
Japan and North Korea will hold governmental working-level consultations on 24 and 25 December in Beijing.
The consultations will be attended on the Japanese side by Deputy Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Akitaka Saiki of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and on the North Korea side, Deputy Director-General in Charge of Japan Son Il Ho of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea.
At these consultations, which will be a follow-up to the consultations held on 3 and 4 November, there will be continued discussions on ways to solve such outstanding issues of concern between Japan and North Korea such as the abduction and the nuclear and missile issues, as well as wider-ranging issues such as the "settlement of the past." There will be concrete talks on how to proceed with future consultations as well
- Establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission
Mr. Taniguchi: The second is about the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission.
Japan welcomes the concurrent adoption by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the Security Council of the resolution to establish the Peacebuilding Commission adopted on 20 December.
The adoption of this resolution is an important step forward in a series of reform efforts of the UN to make it better reflect the international community in the 21st Century.
Japan has been making efforts for the early establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, based upon the view that it is essential to set up a mechanism to advise on and propose coherent and integrated strategies for post-conflict humanitarian assistance, recovery and reconstruction, in order to achieve sustainable peace.
Japan will actively take part in the activities of the Commission and play a constructive role in post-conflict peacebuilding, making full use of its own experience and resources.
- Presidential elections in the United Republic of Tanzania
Mr. Taniguchi: The third is about the Presidential elections in the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Government of Japan sincerely congratulates President Kikwete on his victory in the presidential elections held on the 14 December and also pays tribute to the accomplishments of H.E. Mr. Benjamin William Mkapa, the former president who greatly contributed to the democratization and socio-economic development of the country during his ten-year term.
Mr. Tetsuro Yano, Member of the House of Councillors, is scheduled to attend as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan, the presidential inauguration ceremony to be held on 21 December in Tanzania.
- General elections including a presidential election in the Republic of Bolivia
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about the general elections including a presidential election in the Republic of Bolivia held on 18 December (Japan time: early morning, 19 (Mon)).
The Government of Japan welcomes the news that the general elections were carried out in a democratic and fair manner. Japan hopes that Bolivian society as a whole will work together to enhance political and social stability as well as strengthen democracy. Japan will continue to extend its active assistance for the effort of the people of Bolivia aimed at stability and development.
- Visit by Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Cambodia
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about a visit to the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Cambodia by Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, from 24 to 29 December.
During his stay in Thailand, Dr. Toyama, as representative of the Government of Japan, will attend a ceremony commemorating the first anniversary of the tsunami caused by the earthquake off the coast Sumatra Indonesia, to be held by the Government of Thailand on 26 December in Phuket Province and its surrounding area, and an unveiling ceremony of the commemorating monument built by the Japanese Association on the Kamala beach in Phuket on 25 December.
During his stay in Cambodia, Dr. Toyama will have talks with the leading figures of the Government of Cambodia to exchange views on bilateral high-level issues.
- Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The Government of Japan has decided to extend assistance of US$4,826,000 in total to the UNRWA on 19 December to support its activities including the following five projects aimed at improving the livelihood of the Palestine refugees.
(1) Five Projects to be Assisted (US$1 million in total):
(a) Provision of Eight Ultrasound Machines for Material Health Programme and Introduction of Seven Chemistry Analyzers and Seven Hematology Cell Counters to UNRWA: US$440,000
(b) Training of Medical Staff to Make Best Use of New Ultrasound Machines, Chemistry Analyzers and Hematology Cell Counters Recently Installed in UNRWA's MCH Clinics and the Clinical Laboratories in Lebanon: US$70,000 (c) Establishment of Legal Advice Bureaus at Marka Camp and Aqaba: US$90,000
(d) Replacement and Maintenance of Dilapidated Health Centres: Replacement of Arroub Health Centre: US$370,000
(e) Mother and Child Health Care Services in Jericho Area: US$30,000(2) Assistance to UNRWA's Operation and Maintenance Budget (education, health, relief and social services, micro credit and micro enterprise etc.): US$3,826,000
(a) Assistance for General Budget in Educational Sector: US$1,000,000
(b) Assistance for General Budget: about US$2,826, 000This assistance will be expected to contribute to improving the living conditions of the Palestine refugees who have been in a difficult situation for more than half a century, and to promote peace in the Middle East.
- Hand-over ceremony of solid waste management equipment to the Department of Samawah Municipality
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about the hand-over ceremony of solid waste management equipment to the Department of Samawah Municipality (Governorate of Al-Muthanna), Iraq.
The waste disposal equipment (15 garbage trucks, 300 garbage containers, 2 dump trucks and 10 dumpers) purchased by the Department of Samawah Municipality with the fund provided by Japan's emergency grand aid (about 657 million yen) was delivered to Samawah in the Governorate of Al-Muthanna, Iraq.
The hand-over ceremony of the equipment was held on 20 December at a garage of the Department, attended on the Iraqi side by the Director of the Department of Samawah Municipality and other officials concerned, and on the Japanese side by representatives of the Office in Samawah of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
Samawah is a city with a population of about 250,000. As the city has little garbage-processing equipment, a huge amount of waste is left in its residential areas and shopping districts, giving off odor.
The situation requires immediate improvement from a sanitary as well as an aesthetic point of view.
The equipment procured under this project is donated to the Department of Samawah Municipality, and is expected to contribute to improving the hygiene of the population and the solid waste management capacity of the Department.
- Grant aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Project for Improvement of Medical Equipment in Primary Health Care Institutions (Phase III)
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about grant aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Project for Improvement of Medical Equipment in Primary Health Care Institutions (Phase III).
On 21 December, the Government of Japan decided to extend grant aid of up to 608 million yen for the Project for Improvement of Medical Equipment in Primary Health Care Institutions (Phase III) (up to 608 million yen).
Related Information (Japan-Bosnia and Herzergovina Relations) - Debt-relief measure in the form of cancellation for the Republic of Zambia
Mr. Taniguchi: The ninth is about a debt-relief measure in the form of cancellation for the Republic of Zambia.
The Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Zambia have agreed on the details of a debt-relief measure in the form of debt cancellation for Zambia, namely, to cancel the yen loan debt the Government of Zambia owes to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
Notes to this effect were exchanged on 21 December in Lusaka between Mr. Masaaki Miyashita, Japanese Ambassador to Zambia, and The Honourable, Ng'andu P. Magande, Minister of Finance and National Planning of Zambia.
This debt-relief measure in the form of debt cancellation applies to all the yen loan debt the Government of Zambia owes to JBIC, and the amount of debt to be cancelled totals approximately 74.01007 billion yen.
- Visit to Japan by Russian junior judo team
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about the visit to Japan by a Russian junior judo team.
A Russian junior judo team will visit Japan again this year from 23 to 30 December at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the sports exchange programs between Japan and the Russian Federation.
During the junior judo team's stay in Japan, on 27 December, the team will compete in the 3rd Fukuoka International Junior-High Judo Tournament (Sponsor: Kyushu Judo Association, Sanix Sports Foundation, and the Nishinippon Shimbun), which will be held in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Among the participants in the Tournament is an athlete from a school in Beslan, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the site of a terrorist incident in September 2004.
- Japan-People's Republic of China Consultations concerning UN reform
Mr. Taniguchi: The last item is about Japan-People's Republic of China Consultations concerning UN reform.
Japan-China Consultations will be held on 26 December (Mon) in Beijing, China. These Consultations will be attended on the Japanese side by Deputy Vice-Minister for Foreign Policy Masaharu Kono of the Foreign Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and on the Chinese side by Assistant Minister Shen Guofang of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These Consultations, which will be carried out as part of an array of Japan-China policy consultations, will discuss such matters as UN reform including the reform of the UN Security Council.
- Question concerning Japan-China relations
Q: Good morning Sir. Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso has said that China is beginning to be a considerable threat to Japan. How do you think his comment would affect Japan-China ties? What is the Foreign Ministry's view on Foreign Minister Aso's comment referring to China as a threat?
Mr. Taniguchi: We have repeatedly made sure that we think of Chinese economic development not as a threat but as a tremendous opportunity. Indeed Foreign Minister Aso expressed his view in his last major speech about Japan's strategy toward Asia that he would welcome the rise of China.
At the same time we have continued to note that as far as Chinese defense budget is concerned some parts are not as transparent as they should be. This point was also raised in the speech, if you read the context, Foreign Minister Aso in his press conference today only repeated the points above.
- Follow-up question concerning Japan-China Consultations concerning UN reform
Q: On Japan-China Consultations concerning UN Reform, is this the first time such a meeting will be held? What issues will be discussed here? Will Japan call for China's support for UN reform?
Mr. Taniguchi: If you ask whether it is the first, you might want to say that this will be the first of a series of bilateral talks between Japan and China on UN reform. I am not sure whether this is the case. It is clear, however, at the end of the eventful year in terms of UN reforms the Japanese side is of the view that it is useful and necessary to exchange views with China in order for Japan to further proceed next year toward accelerating the reform process.
In view of the fact that there is a new attempt or two made by African nations and others to reform the UN the Japanese side believes it worthwhile to have discussions with the Chinese side at this time.
If you do not have any further questions I will simply say happy holidays. I will see you next year.
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