Internet Press Chat Conference 23 March 2006
- Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the presidential election in the Republic of Belarus
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller of the Republic of Poland
- Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Miyeegombyn Enkhbold of Mongolia
- Dispatch of election observers for Ukraine's Supreme Council (Parliament) elections
- Japan-US working level meeting on security issues
- Training on criminal identification for the Iraqi Police
- Grant aid, food aid, and donations to UNDP projects
- Question concerning yen loans to the People's Republic of China
- Questions concerning Japan-US security talks
- Question concerning the abduction of Mr. Tadaaki Hara
- Question concerning Japan-Iran relations
- Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the presidential election in the Republic of Belarus
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 the statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations on the presidential election in the Republic of Belarus.
The presidential election in the Republic of Belarus was held on 19 March (Sun) with observation by the International Election Observation Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), including observers from Japan.
The OSCE/ODIHR International Election Observation Mission reported on 20 March that the election did not meet international standards of a democratic election, citing bias in the state-run media and restraint by the authorities on election campaigning among others. Various problems, such as interference with the monitoring of vote counting, have also been pointed out by the Japanese observers dispatched to the mission. Thus the Government of Japan shares the views presented in the OSCE report.
It is regrettable that many acts not in accordance with the principles of democratic election have been noted in this election. Japan intends to urge the Belarus authorities to secure democratic principles and will continue to extend possible supports and efforts to promote democratization in Belarus.
- Visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller of the Republic of Poland
Mr. Taniguchi: The next is about the visit to Japan by Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller of the Republic of Poland. From 30 March (Thu) to 4 April (Tue), Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller of the Republic of Poland, will visit Japan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
During his stay in Japan, Prof. Meller will have talks, among others, with Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso of Japan, to exchange views on Japan-Poland bilateral relations and the international situation. The upcoming visit by the Minister is expected to further develop the diplomatic relationship between Japan and Poland.
- Visit to Japan by Prime Minister Miyeegombyn Enkhbold of Mongolia
Mr. Taniguchi: The next item concerns another visit by a foreign dignitary.
Prime Minister Miyeegombyn Enkhbold of Mongolia, and his wife, accompanied by a suite, will visit Japan from 26 to 30 March (Sun) to (Thu) at the invitation of the Government of Japan.
During his stay, Prime Minister Enkhbold will be received by Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan and will meet with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan, to hold a summit meeting. Mr. Enkhbold will also attend the final day of the Spring Sumo Tournament in Osaka and present the Trophy of the Prime Minister of Mongolia to the top-division wrestler winning the tournament.
Mr. Enkhbold assumed the post of prime minister in January this year, and the upcoming visit will be his first overseas visit as prime minister. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the birth of Great Mongolia (counted from 1206, the year in which Genghis Khan came to power), and the Governments of Japan and Mongolia agreed that this year would be the Year of Mongolia in Japan and next year, the Year of Japan in Mongolia.
- Dispatch of election observers for Ukraine's Supreme Council (Parliament) elections
Mr. Taniguchi: The next item is about the dispatch of election observers for Ukraine's Supreme Council (Parliament) elections.
The Government of Japan has decided to dispatch seven election observers to the International Election Observation Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to support the fair implementation of Ukraine's Supreme Council (Parliament) elections, which are scheduled to take place on 26 March (Sun).
Of the seven observers, two are academics well-versed in Ukrainian affairs. They are Associate Professor Megumi Suezawa of Heisei International University, and Research Fellow Shinkichi Fujimori, Slavic Research Center of Hokkaido University, who both observed the Ukrainian Presidential election at the end of 2004. The other five observers are officials of the Japanese embassies in the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland and Ukraine, and the Consulate General in Strasbourg. This Supreme Council election will be the first national election since the "Orange Revolution" in December 2004.
- Japan-US working level meeting on security issues
Mr. Taniguchi: The next announcement is the holding of the Japan-US Deputy Director-General level meeting on security issues on 23 and 24 March in Tokyo.
The Japanese side will be led by Deputy Director-General Kazuyoshi Umemoto of the North America Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Director-General Hironori Kanazawa of the Defense Policy Bureau, Japan Defense Agency, and the US delegation will be led by Deputy Under-Secretary Richard Lawless of Defense for Asia and Pacific Affairs. In the meeting, there will be an exchange of views concerning recommendations on realignment set out at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee (2+2 Meeting) on 29 October 2005.
- Training on criminal identification for the Iraqi Police
Mr. Taniguchi: The Government of Japan, as one of the training courses at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will offer training on criminal identification to 10 Iraqi police officers from 27 March to 5 April in Japan. The training course is for those who are in charge of criminal identification, and 10 police officials in-charge in the governorate of Muthanna, Basra, Najaf, Arbil and Maysan will participate.
- Grant aid, food aid, and donations to UNDP projects
Mr. Taniguchi: The last item is about Japan's decisions to extend grant aid between 17 to 23 March.
Firstly, 2.6 billion yen will be extended to Afghanistan for the purpose of economic structural reform. A maximum of 106 million yen will be extended to the Democratic and People's Republic of Algeria for fishery. The Government of Japan also decided to extend 416 million yen to the Kingdom of Cambodia for landmine clearance. Also, 600 million yen will be extended in non-project type to the Republic of Malawi. Finally, 48.6 million yen will be provided to the Republic of Kazakhstan for cultural education.
In addition, 234 million yen will be extended to the United Nation Development Programme's (UNDP's) "Program for Rehabilitation of Ex-Child Soldiers in the Great Lakes region: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda"; 192 million yen to UNDP's "Program on Promoting Weapons Collection and Community-based Development in Sierra Leone" and 232 million yen to the same scheme targeting the Republic of Liberia.
Japan also decided to extend food aid through the World Food Programme (WFP), amounting to 138.5 million yen which was signed on 17 March in Rome, as well as to extend its food aid of 660 million yen to Palestine through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and WFP.
- Question concerning yen loans to the People's Republic of China
Q: Hello Mr. Taniguchi. The Japanese government has frozen yen loans to China for this fiscal year. Will it be resumed? If so, on what conditions?
Aside from the no progress in natural gas development talks, has the rift from Prime Minister Koizumi's Yasukuni visit had anything to do with the freeze?
Mr. Taniguchi: Let me say that we have never frozen yen loans to the People's Republic of China.
What has happened is we have not been able to exchange notes for a new yen loan with China over the last fiscal year ending 31 March.
In the next fiscal year the first thing we are going to have to do is to exchange notes, the money will flow accordingly.
Let me also remind you that the two countries, Japan and China, are in the course of reducing the amount of "new" yen loans to make the amount zero by the time Beijing will host 2008 Olympic Games. Against this backdrop you may know that we should not make much fuss over this.
- Questions concerning Japan-US security talks
Q: On the Japan-US security talks according to reports, one of the main issues is who will bear how much of the cost for the relocation of the US marines from Okinawa to Guam. Japan, I believe is not willing to bear 75 percent of the cost. Then to what degree will Japan be willing to? Will there be any conditions attached?
Mr. Taniguchi: I know that you are interested in this issue. I wish I could tell you more details on this but it is too early because the talk is still going on now.
Q: Still on the Japan-US securities talks, will you be holding ministerial talks next week as both sides hope to finalize the entire package by the end of this month?
Mr. Taniguchi: By the end of this month it was agreed by both parties that they would be having an agreement. It does not necessarily mean that ministerial meetings will take place. Yet I cannot give you any concrete idea as to whether, when or where such meetings will be taking place.
- Question concerning the abduction of Mr. Tadaaki Hara
Q: On the abduction of Mr. Tadaaki Hara to North Korea, I believe police are raiding facilities today which may have connections to the abduction. Are you going to take the matter to Interpol? Can you elaborate on your plans on seeking international cooperation?
Mr. Taniguchi: In general terms we have to do many things ourselves before bringing whatever issue to such organizations as you suggested. On abductions we have raised the issue in a number of occasions including Japan-North Korea bilateral talks, the UN and the Six-Party Talks. At the moment the Japanese police, I believe, are working hard on the case. We would like to learn more from them.
- Question concerning Japan-Iran relations
Q: I've seen a report that the United States has asked Japan to stop its oil development with Iran. Can you confirm this?
Mr. Taniguchi: I can tell you the Japanese Government is not talking with the US Government on the future of the oil development that you are interested in.
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