Press Conference, 1 June 2007

Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Sixth meeting of the New Japan-China Friendship Committee for the 21st Century
Recent gathering of the Tokyo African Club (TAC)
Publication of book "The Arc of Freedom and Prosperity" by Foreign Minister Taro Aso
Follow-up questions concerning the Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Questions concerning presence of a ROK vessel in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
Questions concerning the Japan-Russian Federation strategic dialogue

I. Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Good afternoon. I have just a couple of announcements to make for my opening statement.

Upon returning from his extended yet packed trip to Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso is next headed for Jeju-do, the Republic of Korea (ROK), on Sunday, 3 June. He will be coming back home later on the same day. It is for him to take part in the Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

At present it seems the three ministers, from Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the ROK, will spend more time to discuss North Korea than on other issues.

II. Sixth meeting of the New Japan-China Friendship Committee for the 21st Century

Mr. Taniguchi: Secondly, the New Japan-China Friendship Committee for the 21st Century will gather for their sixth meeting on Saturday, 9 June and the following Sunday, 10 June, in a place called Kosakamachi, in Akita Prefecture up north in Japan. Lake Towada is there, and the town is a smallish lakeside resort. Heads of the Committee from Japan and China are Mr. Yotaro Kobayashi, Chairman of the Board of Fuji Xerox and Mr. Zheng Bijian, former Executive Vice President of the Central Party School, respectively.

The Committee members will subsequently have a town meeting in Akita City and a symposium at Keio University in Tokyo.

Related Information (Press Release)

III. Recent gathering of the Tokyo African Club (TAC)

Mr. Taniguchi: Now, from time to time we have been holding a gathering called TAC, or Tokyo African Club, inviting all the Tokyo-based Ambassadors from the African region. The latest one was held here at the MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on Tuesday, 29 May with the attendance of Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya and Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masayoshi Hamada. We are putting steam into the gathering, for next year, the Government of Japan will hold TICADIV, or the 4th International Conference on African Development by inviting leaders from the region.

Related Information (Press Release)

IV. Publication of book "The Arc of Freedom and Prosperity" by Foreign Minister Taro Aso

Mr. Taniguchi: If I may add just one more thing purely for your information, Foreign Minister Aso has published today a 400-page book entitled "Jiyu to Hanei no Ko," or "The Arc of Freedom and Prosperity," which I have gathered is the largest possible compilation of the speeches and articles he has so far delivered and published since becoming Foreign Minister.

V. Follow-up questions concerning the Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Q: About the Japan-China-ROK trilateral meeting, you mentioned that they would be spending more time on North Korea than any other issues. How do you see the importance of this trilateral meeting at this stage in light of the current circumstances of North Korea's nuclear issue? How important is having such a meeting?

Mr. Taniguchi: The first thing that I should mention is that the Government in Seoul, the ROK, has been very enthusiastic in making this gathering even more high-profile. There have been meetings involving three foreign ministers from the ROK, China, and Japan in the past, but the ROK Government has decided to give a new name to the gathering, and decided to call it simply a Foreign Ministers' Meeting. So it seems that the steam is actually coming from Seoul to make this gathering an important occasion for the three foreign ministers to candidly discuss important issues of mutual concern. That is the first thing that I should call your attention to.

Secondly, given the fact that there was a breakup between North Korea and the ROK about their bilateral meeting, it would be very important for the Chinese Foreign Minister and the Japanese Foreign Minister to learn what actually has happened between them from their counterpart from the ROK Government, and also it is important for the three nations that are also important members of the Six-Party Talks to review the situation and to consolidate their stance toward North Korea.

Q: When you mentioned consolidation of the stance towards North Korea, does this mean basically issuing a strong statement?

Mr. Taniguchi: No, I don't think so. I don't think any statement or paper will come out after this Foreign Ministers' Meeting, first because the meeting is structured in such a way as to encourage the three ministers to get involved in very candid and frank discussions, so the spirit is to foster a common sense of comradeship, if you like, among the three nations and the three foreign ministers, so it is not designed to issue any statement. But I should stop here because I am almost speculating on the results.

Q: When you mentioned the breakup of North Korea's bilateral talks with the ROK, were you referring to the issue about how North Korea is not pleased that the ROK suspended its rights?

Mr. Taniguchi: Yes, that is what it means.

Q: Just to clarify, this trilateral meeting was called on the initiative of the ROK?

Mr. Taniguchi: The framework of the tripartite meeting has been going on for some time, this is not the first time, but the ROK Government has decided to call this a Foreign Ministers' Meeting simply to suggest that it would gain even more attention and importance.

Q: It is probably not going to be as big as the North Korea issue, but I understand that cooperation on Central Asia or their approach to Central Asia is also going to be one of the issues to be discussed among the three nations. From your viewpoint, how do you see the importance of Central Asia to these three countries?

Mr. Taniguchi: Central Asia seems to be one of the focal points for all the nations involved -- the ROK, Japan, and China -- from different perspectives. For the ROK, some of the Central Asian countries are already sizeable markets for some of the ROK-based international companies. Their economic interest is getting bigger in Central Asian countries. Also, lately Japan has increased its diplomatic effort to reach out to Central Asian nations, for possibly two reasons.

One, because it is imperative and important for Central Asian nations to be a good stabilizer in that part of the world, and there has got to be a good network and linkage that combines the Islamic State of Afghanistan, Central Asian nations, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and so on in order to give stability to Afghanistan, which is struggling still hard to achieve its peace. That is one of the motivations that has been driving Japan's diplomacy toward that area.

Secondly, there is an economic motivation of course also here for Japan in this part of the world and Central Asian nations. Namely, it can provide useful natural resources such as uranium, oil, gold, and so on and so forth, and that is another reason why Japan is gearing up its diplomacy toward Central Asia. It seems that China has also its own increasing interest in this part of the world. If you look at it, their first multi-lateral framework that they created themselves was the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Q: While these three countries share an interest in Central Asia, do you see that being a point of competition or contention?

Mr. Taniguchi: I seriously do not think so. The foreign ministers from China, the ROK, and Japan will discus why each one has been interested in Central Asian nations, and it is important for them to share their views and exchange their ideas as to what is to be done, what they are going to do, and what they wish to do toward that region.

VI. Questions concerning presence of a ROK vessel in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

Q: On the sidelines of the Japan-China-ROK meeting, there is going to be also a bilateral meeting between Japan and the ROK. Foreign Minister Aso announced yesterday that according to the Coast Guard there was a ship that was apparently a ROK vessel that entered into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and I wanted to ask about the details. Are there any updates that you have heard?

Mr. Taniguchi: I know that's what's happened, and I frankly do not know to what extent this would affect the bilateral meeting between the ROK and Japan on the sidelines of the tripartite meeting. But this is something that should not happen without a pre-warning from the ROK to Japan, and that pre-warning is something that did not come from ROK to Japan, and so therefore Japan made a protest to ROK through diplomatic channels.

Q: Has there been any word from the ROK Embassy here?

Mr. Taniguchi: Not yet.

Q: Is it safe to assume that since such an incident has come up, Japan and ROK in their bilateral talks will take up again about the advance warning system?

Mr. Taniguchi: The simple fact of the matter is that the bilateral relation is too important and too large for any single incident such as that or any single incident of that scale to be able to jeopardize it.

VII. Questions concerning the Japan-Russian Federation strategic dialogue

Q: This is an entirely different topic, but Japan and the Russian Federation are having a second strategic dialogue today. What would be the gauge of so-called success? What are the things that they could achieve during this meeting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would think of as a step forward?

Mr. Taniguchi: Let me tell you that I do not think that it would be appropriate to give a judgment of any sort to this meeting between the two vice-ministers from the respective foreign ministries. First of all, it is called a "strategic dialogue," and the prime objective of that meeting from the start is to give as many opportunities and as rich opportunities as possible for the two leading diplomats to discuss issues of their mutual concern, and therefore it is to build up shared views between the two nations. It is not necessarily a meeting that aims at achieving a specific set of targets or goals.

Q: Since it is coming before the G8 Summit, before the talks between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin, is this Tokyo meeting going to lay the groundwork for the coming meetings?

Mr. Taniguchi: I think it is fair to say so, but beyond that perhaps I should reiterate what I have said, because this is a meeting to foster mutual understanding between the two leading diplomats. You should put this meeting into a broader perspective and time frame for the development of the bilateral relationship.

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