The Second Press Conference, 27 June 2008

Overview of the Japan-US bilateral meeting
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue
Overview of the Japan-Commonwealth of Australia bilateral meeting
Question concerning potential measures to put pressure on North Korea
Questions concerning climate change issues at the forthcoming G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit

I. Overview of the Japan-US bilateral meeting

Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama: Thank you and good evening to you all.

After the Joint Press Conference given by the G8 foreign ministers chaired by Foreign Minister Koumura, Mr. Koumura first went on to meet with Dr. Condoleezza Rice for a Japan-US bilateral meeting, which lasted for about one hour. I will give you, very briefly, what was discussed between the two foreign ministers.

The two foreign ministers devoted half of their time to discussion of North Korea, the DPRK. Before that, they briefly confirmed the importance of the alliance relationship between Japan and the United States, as we always maintain. The two foreign ministers, again, just confirmed that the Japan-US alliance will continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and also promised to continue to cooperate with each other, based on the very solid alliance relationship between our two countries.

On North Korea, three points. Number one: they shared the view that on North Korea it is vitally important to advance in tandem both the issue of denuclearization and the issue of abduction. The resolution of the abduction issue means progress on the Japan-DPRK bilateral front.

The second point is on the denuclearization of the DPRK. They also agreed that it is critical to verify in a very thorough manner the very contents of the declaration, which was submitted to us only yesterday by the DPRK. They also reaffirmed the importance of closer coordination and collaboration between our two countries towards an ultimate realization of the complete denuclearization of North Korea, including the abandonment of the DPRK's nuclear weapons.

The final point on the DPRK is actually from Dr. Rice. She emphasized, as was also mentioned by President Bush yesterday in the televised White House press conference on his decision to notify Congress of his intention to delist the DPRK from the list of nations sponsoring terrorism - saying the US position to steadfastly support, strongly support Japan in its efforts to resolve the issue of abduction remains unchanged. On this issue, Foreign Minister Koumura appreciated President Bush's unshakeable expression of support for the resolution of the abduction issue. But at the same time, Foreign Minister Koumura asked Dr. Rice for continued US pressure on the DPRK so that the DPRK will respond to our request to advance, resolving the issue of abduction. So much for the DPRK.

Rather briefly, they discussed the importance of continued assistance to Afghanistan, and they reiterated their shared understanding that it was a major achievement of this G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting that the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting has produced the standalone Joint Statement on Afghanistan, focusing on strengthening the border region assistance. By issuing this Joint Statement, the G8 has shown that they are willing to take a holistic strategy in tackling the issue of Afghanistan. They renewed their respective commitments to assist the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Finally, they very briefly touched on the climate change issue. After all, of course, next week at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit Meeting, this issue will be one of the major topics of the Summit Meeting. They agreed that Japan and the US will continue to collaborate and coordinate closely, so that both the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit and the Major Economies Meeting will produce a tangible positive outcome on the issue of climate change.

Finally, I just want to tell you that Dr. Rice also mentioned that the fact that this G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting has produced a second standalone statement, on Zimbabwe, is in her view evidence that this Meeting was a great success. So much for the Japan-US bilateral meeting.

II. The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue

Mr. Kodama: After that, I must say that Foreign Minister Koumura and Dr. Rice worked very hard. Foreign Minister Koumura had a bilateral meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Smith for about half an hour, which was followed by a Trilateral Foreign Ministerial Meeting of Japan, Australia and the US, for half an hour. This was followed by a Working Dinner for the three foreign ministers.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue produced the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement, with the Annex paper. I leave it to you, just for your perusal. Maybe, if I may, a couple of salient points in this Joint Statement - very briefly I can tell you them. Japan, Australia and the United States, we believe, are the major players in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia is an ally of the United States, and Japan is an ally of the United States. Japan is not an ally of Australia, but yet we do share very fundamental values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and all these values, and we enjoy very sound, strong bilateral relations. Therefore, this Trilateral Strategic Dialogue is considered very useful by Japan, Australia and the US.

One positive outcome of this trilateral meeting is that the three ministers welcomed the advancement of trilateral cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as an Annex to this Joint Statement. Indeed, Australia proposed to host the very first meeting of disaster relief officials, possibly in November this year. You may recall that at the time of the tsunami disaster which really caused havoc especially in the northern part of Aceh, Sumatra, Australia, Japan and the US worked very closely from the very beginning of this disaster to coordinate in assisting tsunami-hit countries including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and so on. So, based on such experiences we have been making steady progress to form a kind of very professional network which is coming to fruition in this form of trilateral cooperation in a more systematic way.

III. Overview of the Japan-Commonwealth of Australia bilateral meeting

Mr. Kodama: Before I open the floor, just a few words on the contents of the Japan-Australia bilateral. Foreign Minister Koumura actually debriefed Mr. Smith on the outcome of the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, focusing on the DPRK and Iran, and also very briefly on Afghanistan, Myanmar and Zimbabwe.

On the DPRK Foreign Minister Koumura mentioned the same point that I mentioned earlier: Japan considers that it is vitally important to carry out the verification procedure, in a very thorough manner, of the declaration submitted by the DPRK. Also, Japan is really willing to advance this Six-Party Talks process, and ultimately Japan should work towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Also he mentioned, briefly, that he was very pleased that on the issue of abduction all the G8 partners expressed their full-fledged support for Japan.

In response, Foreign Minister Smith mentioned that Australia maintains diplomatic relations with the DPRK. Whenever they have an opportunity to meet with the DPRK, Foreign Minister Smith always raises the issue of abduction: he reminds the DPRK to come forward on this issue.

And then they also discussed the issue of climate change and on this Foreign Minister Koumura mentioned that Japan is hoping that the G8 will be able to agree on the long-term target, i.e., halving the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the year 2050, so Prime Minister Fukuda would like to see some tangible progress from the Heiligendamm Agreement, i.e., the G8 will consider seriously to halve the GHG emissions by 2050.

In the case of Australia, we believe Australia is very willing to accept the Japanese Prime Minister's suggestion on this matter, so Foreign Minister Koumura will express Japan's wish that Australia will continue to work closely with Japan. After all, Australia is of course a member of this MEM Meeting which will be held on day three of the G8 Summit on 9 July.

Then very briefly on whaling, as some of you know, Australia since Mr. Rudd became prime minister, the Australian Government has been rather vocal in expressing their opposition to research whaling conducted in the Antarctic Ocean areas. But now today, first Prime Minister Rudd came to Japan and met with Prime Minister Fukuda on 12 June. Prime Minister Rudd mentioned to Prime Minister Fukuda that Australia will pursue its own diplomatic efforts to resolve this political disagreement with Japan on the issue of whaling. The Foreign Minister mentioned that Mr. Rudd's statement was received in a somewhat positive manner because previously, before that, Prime Minister Rudd suggested that Australia might take legal action rather than seeking a political solution. But now I think Mr. Rudd intends to pursue, as I mentioned earlier, a diplomatic political solution. And indeed, for your information, in Santiago from Monday this week until Friday, the IWC (International Whaling Commission) General Meeting was held and produced some positive outcome to establish the Working Group. The final point really is that the two foreign ministers agreed that the issue of whaling should not impair a solid, good bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan.

I think I will stop here, but I would be happy to answer any of the questions that you have.

IV. Question concerning potential measures to put pressure on North Korea

Q: You said earlier in the presentation that Foreign Minister Koumura asked Ms. Rice to continue to put pressure on North Korea so that in response to Japan's request to resolve the abductions issue, what kind of pressure could that possibly be? Have the two foreign ministers talked about possibilities to put pressure in concrete terms?

Mr. Kodama: Both Japan and the US jointly or individually still do maintain lots of sanctions against the DPRK, but what Foreign Minister Koumura meant by putting pressure on the DPRK, it is Japan's responsibility to engage the DPRK to break an impasse or to seek a breakthrough in really resolving the issue of abduction, but we appreciate any support coming from the US to maybe push, nudge, cajole the DPRK leaders, Kim Jong Il or his subordinates really to do something positive. It is often said that the DPRK looks to the US first and foremost, maybe to another extent to China, but they sometimes they try to drive a wedge to separate the US from Japan and they employ all kinds of tactics I think. With the help of the US - it is no secret that in the course of the recent bilateral negotiations, consultations between the US and North Korea and Assistant Secretary Hill and his counterpart Mr. Kim Gye-gwan, I think, we believe that at every possible opportunity Mr. Hill asked his counterpart to do something to resume bilateral talks with Japan. So we need that kind of constant pressure - constant push for moving forward the issue of abduction coming from the US would be highly appreciated. And indeed Foreign Minister Koumura mentioned in the course of this G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, suddenly the reason why the recent Japan-DPRK bilateral talks did produce certain tangible progress is in no small part due to the good offices of the US. That is our understanding.

V. Questions concerning climate change issues at the forthcoming G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit

Q: Mr. Kodama, just perhaps two questions concerning the Toyako Summit next week. You mentioned that the pledge of Mr. Fukuda is to reach some kind of goal for 2050. Isn't that some kind of contradiction that Prime Minister Fukuda on the one hand says this is not the place for doing some kind of short-term or medium-term goal, but on the other hand set some kind of long-term goal and he is trying to reach that? To me it looks like some kind of contradiction.

The second question is, would you please elaborate which countries do you have to convince from the G8 and from the other countries to reach such a goal? You might be quite happy to join but which countries do you have to convince?

Mr. Kodama: First, let me set the record straight. In terms of the long-term target, which has been proposed by Prime Minister Fukuda, i.e. not only the G8 but also all the MEM should accept the formulation of the long-term target, i.e. to agree on halving the GHG emissions by 2050 from the current level of GHG emissions. Amongst the G8 countries, we know that the European countries and Japan find it acceptable in the formulation of which I just mentioned. Of course the US accepted the formulation of the Heiligendamm Agreement so really the Prime Minister is determined to make some breakthrough progress on this front. I think I had better stop here, but on your first question, I would say Prime Minister Fukuda's position I don't think is really contradictory. He always maintains the long-term target is really - to be frank - a long-term target should not be perceived as what you call a legally binding target. After all, we strongly maintain that the halving of GHG by 2050 cannot be achieved with the currently available technologies alone, so in order to achieve this ambitious target, in any case, the global community will have to work very hard, strenuously hard, to produce more energy-efficient technology, more environmentally-friendly technology and so on.

So, what Prime Minister Fukuda has been saying all along is while this can't be a legally binding target, let us commit ourselves as a political commitment as such and I think that kind of understanding is well-accepted. Why he maintains that this coming G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit should not be a place where we would negotiate a likely mid-term target in terms of a binding GHG emissions target, because, simply put, we all know the deadline of agreeing on a post-Kyoto Protocol framework including this kind of mid-term target of reduction of GHG is set in December 2009 so the deadline is one year and a half away from now. So it is inconceivable for us to agree on this mid-term target next month; that is the simple reason. Also, this really is a multilateral negotiation so for negotiation tactics, it won't be easy. But in any case, we all agree, I am sure European governments and even President Bush himself, there is a very strong, shared sense of urgency to do something so naturally I think now Prime Minister Fukuda has been asking really sending his special envoy to date to Mexico and India, and when he met with the Chinese President Mr. Hu Jintao in Tokyo, he raised this issue personally and so on. In any case, it is hard to tell what kind of shape or agreement he will be able to achieve during the G8 Summit meeting and then onto the MEM meeting.

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