Internet Press Chat Conference, 12 July 2007

Grant Aid to the Republic of Uzbekistan for the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarships
Meeting for Launching Intellectual Assistance Consortium for Improvement of Education and Research System for the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur (IIITDMJ)
Address by Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso on Japan's policies toward Latin America
Questions concerning the Six-Party Talks

I. Grant Aid to the Republic of Uzbekistan for the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarships

Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi: Let me start today's Regular Internet Chat Press Conference. Today, I would like to make a couple of announcements before I take questions.

The Government of Japan has decided to extend grant assistance up to a total of 307 million yen to the Republic of Uzbekistan. Notes to this effect were exchanged on July 10 (Tue) in Tashkent between Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yuichi Kusumoto and Mr. Rustam Sobirovich Kasimov, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

By using the money as grants Uzbekistan can send 20 young officials, central government employees, administrators in colleges, etc., to Japan. They will be pursuing graduate degrees in Japan in such fields as public administration, economics, management, law and information technologies. This is all part of the efforts the Uzbekistan Government is doing to build human resources crucial for the nation's intellectual infrastructure build-up.

Japan has since 1998 extended grant aid for the identical purpose to a host of countries, the People's Republic of China, the Philippines, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, to name a couple. Indeed from Uzbekistan, 20 people have been coming to Japan each and every year since FY 1999.

II. Meeting for Launching Intellectual Assistance Consortium for Improvement of Education and Research System for the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur (IIITDMJ)

Mr. Taniguchi: Today a meeting is taking place here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between an Indian university and representatives from a couple of Japanese universities. It is to launch what is called the Intellectual Assistance Consortium for the Improvement of the Education and Research System for the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur (IIITDM-J), which is located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. From the IIITDM-J side Professor Sanjeev Bhargava, Director of the College, and from the Japanese side, Dr. Hiroshi Komiyama, President of the University of Tokyo, and Dr. Masuo Aizawa, President of the Tokyo Institute of Technology are attending, amongst others.

The college was singled out by Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe when the two leaders met December last year, as an academic core to educate the future leaders for the Indian manufacturing industries as well as to enhance scholastic exchanges between Japan and India.

The consortium is expected to involve a wide array of people from the academic as well as industrial communities in Japan.

III. Address by Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso on Japan's policies toward Latin America

Mr. Taniguchi: On last Friday, 6 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso delivered a speech on Japan's policies toward Latin America. The speech is now available in English as well as in Spanish and soon to be in Portuguese on the Ministry's website.

IV. Questions concerning the Six-Party Talks

Q: Good afternoon. China has announced the Six-Party Talks will be held next week from 18-19 July. What does Japan expect out of this latest round? Does Japan expect to meet bilaterally with North Korea under a working group between their nations?

Mr. Taniguchi: On the second part of your question, it has been agreed that Japan-North Korea bilateral meeting in the run-up for the normalization of the diplomatic relations is supposed to proceed in tandem with other working group discussions. North Korea therefore is being strongly encouraged to join the Japanese side for the discussion. On the first part, I do not think there is much to add to what many of us within the Foreign Ministry have repeatedly said so far, that is, that North Korea has to fully comply with the obligation they pledged in February.

Q: The abduction issue remains a sensitive matter for Japan. I would like to ask again the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' stance on what will constitute progress on the abduction issue. If North Korea agrees to reinvestigate the abduction cases, Foreign Minister Aso has said that would be one sign of progress. Is that how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sees it, or does the Ministry not see this as sufficient and will only settle for measures such as the return of all abductees?

Mr. Taniguchi: This is actually a matter of definition to which one finds hard to give a concrete idea in advance. Any action is basically better than the zero action which is going on, yet what is important is for North Korea to make themselves accountable on this issue and show us progress. You may then ask "What will constitute 'progress?'" but at the risk of making a circular argument, I must say it is hard to foresee what will constitute progress and what will not. One should expect that Pyongyang is going to come forward with accountable, verifiable, and honest information as to what has happened to and whereabouts of the abductees.

Time is already up, but if you have a really pressing question...

Q: North Korea has complied to holding a working group with Japan but has also time and again showed displeasure over Japan's inclusion in the Six-Party Talks or the way Japan tries to push the abduction issue on the agenda of the six-party framework. How does Japan see this kind of attitude from North Korea and what steps should Japan take to make North Korea really see that Japan means business in having the abduction issue resolved?

Mr. Taniguchi: North Korea may or may not be displeased. The truth remains no framework for the resolution of the North Korean issue can be complete without the full participation of Japan. I feel very little need for Japan to send an even more powerful signal to the North Korean side that Japan means business in having the abduction issue resolved.

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