Press Conference by the Deputy Press Secretary, 5 November 2009

Japan hosts the Mekong-Japan Summit meeting
Statement on the results of Afghan presidential election
Statement on the signing of the Lisbon Treaty by the Czech President for its ratification
Statement on the recent accord reached in Honduras
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic to visit Japan
Questions concerning Foreign Minister Okada's visit to the United States
Questions concerning a courtesy call paid from US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to Foreign Minister Okada
Questions concerning the schedule of US President Obama's visit to Japan
Questions concerning Afghan internal politics
Questions concerning the base relocation issue
Further questions concerning US President Obama's visit to Japan
Questions concerning the Mekong-Japan Summit meeting
Questions concerning overall Japan-US relations
Questions concerning assistance to Afghanistan
Questions concerning the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean
Further questions concerning assistance to Afghanistan

I. Japan hosts the Mekong-Japan Summit meeting

Deputy Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura: Good afternoon and welcome.

Today, I have a couple of things to read out first.

First, from tomorrow, Friday, the 6th to Saturday, the 7th, Japan hosts the first Mekong-Japan Summit meeting with the participation of the leaders of the five Mekong countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. This summit meeting will be an important step for establishing the future basic framework for the Japan-Mekong cooperative relations.

This summit meeting will mark and highlight the year 2009, as the final year of the Japan-Mekong Partnership, which started in 2007 and is the focal point of the Mekong-Japan Exchange Year of 2009.

II. Statement on the results of Afghan presidential election

Mr. Kawamura: Second, on the Afghan presidential election, Japan welcomes the election of the new president in Afghanistan through the election process managed by the people of the country themselves with the support of the international community.

Japan hopes that the new president will unite the Afghan people and address various challenges of nation-building. Japan will continue its proactive support together with the international community for the Afghan people's and the Government's efforts for their nation-building, stability and reconstruction.

III. Statement on the signing of the Lisbon Treaty by the Czech President for its ratification

Mr. Kawamura: Third, on the EU, Japan welcomes the signing by Czech President Vaclav Klaus for ratification of the Lisbon Treaty on Tuesday, the 3rd. We understand that this treaty will come into effect as soon as the ratification procedure of the Treaty by the 27 member countries of the EU will be completed. Japan hopes for the smooth transfer of the EU to a new structure under this Treaty.

Related Information (Press Release)

IV. Statement on the recent accord reached in Honduras

Mr. Kawamura: Fourth, on Honduras, Japan welcomes the fact that the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord has been established through dialogue between representatives of President Zelaya, and those of "the interim government."

Japan strongly hopes that both parties will continue making efforts for swift and steady realization and implementation of the Accord based on the spirit of the national reconciliation stated in the Accord.

Related Information (Press Release)

V. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic to visit Japan

Mr. Kawamura: And, fifth and last, on incoming visits to Japan by foreign dignitaries.

Currently, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei, is visiting Japan. Foreign Minister Okada is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with H.R.H Prince Mohamed Bolkiah this evening.

Also, we welcome Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák. Minister Lajčák will visit Japan from this coming Sunday, the 8th to next Wednesday, the 11th. Minister Okada will hold a meeting with Minister Lajčák to discuss bilateral relations and global issues.

That is all from me. Now, I would like to invite your questions.

Related Information (Press Release)

VI. Questions concerning Foreign Minister Okada's visit to the United States

Q: Could you tell me about Foreign Minister Okada? The Americans are still willing, I mean, Hillary Clinton is still willing to meet him. Is there any new decision from the government of Japan, or is he just not going?

Mr. Kawamura: The Minister's trip to the United States will not take place. We made the announcement. Due to the difficulties of the scheduling process, the Minister will not have a chance to go to the United States this time. However, we have frequent communication channels including at the Ministerial level, so we will have enough conversations with the United States on various issues.

VII. Questions concerning a courtesy call paid from US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to Foreign Minister Okada

Q: Minister Okada met earlier today with US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. What sort of discussions did the two have on the US troop realignment?

Mr. Kawamura: Well, I have not been briefed concerning the visit by Assistant Secretary Campbell to Minister Okada. I understand that around noon today Assistant Secretary Campbell paid a courtesy call on Minister Okada. I will check if we have something for you about the meeting, but at this right moment, I do not have the information to give you.

VIII. Questions concerning the schedule of US President Obama's visit to Japan

Q: What preparations are being made for President Obama's trip to Japan this month? Do you have a schedule of what kind of...

Mr. Kawamura: Yes, the schedule is, as you may know, for two days, starting from the 12th until the 13th. For details of the President's stay in Japan that is being worked on, we will come up with some announcement at a later stage. The focal point is that the two leaders met with each other in New York for the first time and confirmed the basic framework of the relations, namely, the Japan-US alliance, with the fundamental point that the alliance is the cornerstone of our bilateral relations. Based upon that foundation, this time they will take advantage of the opportunity to discuss various issues including bilateral, regional and international issues. We have many challenges on which to work together. If you could be patient enough, we can come up with a more detailed program later.

Q: Like by next Tuesday or Wednesday?

Mr. Kawamura: Very hopefully, yes.

IX. Questions concerning Afghan internal politics

Q: This is about Afghanistan's elections. The ex Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah is one of the most powerful leaders of a faction. Now, do you think it will give more support if Abdullah Abdullah continues to oppose the government since once he was the friend of Mr. Karzai? Do you expect any change in the new government making more trouble, or making more problems if it happens?

Mr. Kawamura: Japan welcomes, first of all, the election process where the legitimate candidate won. Through this legitimate process, the new president was elected. All we hope is that the new president will, as I said at the beginning, unite the people of Afghanistan and work for the reconstruction and stability of the country, and the international community, including Japan, will be ready to and Japan will continue to cooperate for the new president's efforts for such nation-building directions.

X. Questions concerning the base relocation issue

Q: Can I ask what the government's formal position is on moving the operations of Futenma to Kadena? Does the government have a formal position on whether that is a serious proposal or is this just something that the Foreign Minister mentioned personally?

Mr. Kawamura: What is going on is that we will consider a couple of elements such as the existing Japan-US agreement on the realignment, and second is the will of the local residents in Okinawa. Minister Okada repeatedly introduced that the residents of Okinawa expressed their will through the recently held election for the members of the House of Councillors. Also, deterrence is the core of the Japan-US alliance. Those elements can be combined for consideration and the government as a whole is trying to lead and conclude a most appropriate conclusion.

Q: Can I ask a follow up? What is the status of the current agreement? The roadmap that was announced in 2006; what legal status does that have? If the government is offering counter-proposals and suggestions to change it substantially from Camp Schwab to Kadena, the operations movement, is this not an international agreement that needs to be respected or does it not have a legal status?

Mr. Kawamura: It is a bilateral agreement. The document was agreed upon and signed. I think I need to check as to whether the document was physically signed or not, but whether it was signed or not physically, the document was an agreement between the two governments. It is a matter of terminology as to whether you call it an international binding agreement or not. It is an agreement.

Q: You do not necessarily see that as a binding agreement?

Mr. Kawamura: I am not a legal expert to answer your technical questions, but it is classified as an agreement between the two governments, I think.

XI. Further questions concerning US President Obama's visit to Japan

Q: What are the chances of the government concluding its reevaluation by the time President Obama arrives?

Mr. Kawamura: Well, Minister Okada reiterates his position that we need to accelerate our investigation process. Through an investigation he said he would draw a conclusion. The bottom line is that the current Japan-US alliance should last over the next 30-50 years; from that perspective, we are going to examine the past negotiation process. We will accelerate the current activities so that we reach a reasonable conclusion at an early timing. I cannot say when or by what time. We are making the best efforts toward that goal.

XII. Questions concerning the Mekong-Japan Summit meeting

Q: This is about the Mekong first summit. Of course, it is written that it is the first of its kind. Has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged some sort of summit meeting in other regions or some other countries also, or is the first time only for these countries that are mentioned here?

Mr. Kawamura: If I understand your point correctly, this is the first summit meeting with the leaders of the Mekong region. But the process of engagement, Japan's engagement with the Mekong region, started as early as in 2003.

In Tokyo, in December 2003, Japan hosted the Japan-ASEAN Special Summit Meeting and in the meeting, Japan and ASEAN leaders made an announcement of the new concept for the regional development of the Mekong region. You could interpret that as the beginning of Japan engagement in the Mekong development initiative along with ASEAN countries.

In that special summit meeting, we agreed on the necessity to develop the regional development in the Mekong region under three pillars; the consolidation of the region, sustainable economic development and environmentally-friendly development. Those three pillars were agreed upon at that time.

Almost every other year from 2003 to 2008, Japan attended summit level or foreign minister meetings on the theme of Mekong development. This year, 2009, is the final year and the partnership year of Japan and Mekong. The partnership year started from 2007 up to this year, 2009 for three years.

Last month in Siem Reap, in Cambodia, Foreign Minister Okada attended the Japan-Mekong Foreign Ministers' meeting. That was the second Foreign Ministers' meeting and that provided a grounded foundation for this week's summit meeting in Tokyo. In other words, we have developed engagement and association with the ASEAN and Mekong regions since 2003.

Q: This meeting on the 6th and 7th, is there a schedule for press?

Mr. Kawamura: You may have this leaflet or matrix in English. According to the schedule, the joint press conference is planned in the morning on Saturday the 7th.

XIII. Questions concerning overall Japan-US relations

Q: Sir, some of the Japanese opposition leaders from the Liberal Democratic Party are calling Japan-American relations these days as chilly. Some of them are concerned and expressing concern that maybe Mr. Obama will also cancel his visit to Japan. How does the Foreign Ministry or the Foreign Minister see these developments and do you think these relations are chilly these days?

Mr. Kawamura: I do not think so at all. First of all, the two leaders, the top leaders, confirmed the basic structure of the bilateral relations from the outset. The cornerstone of foreign relations; that was confirmed and repeatedly confirmed on every level of the Japanese and US governments.

With that in mind, we are planning for the visit by President Obama to Japan. The two governments confirmed the dates on the 12th and 13th of November. The two sides are making their best efforts for the success of the visit. There is no worry about the chilliness of the relations.

If I am allowed to reiterate, Foreign Minister Okada's statement that we are making our best efforts to find the most appropriate solutions to the, for example, bilateral issues like the base realignment issue. We are doing that because we need to strengthen the alliance with the United States which should last over the next 30-50 years. For that purpose, we are making the necessary examinations of the past conduct and negotiations, and trying to draw out the most appropriate conclusions.

I hope that you would not misunderstand the current engagement both of us, the US and Japan, have been making.

XIV. Questions concerning assistance to Afghanistan

Q: The Japanese government announced yesterday about helping Afghanistan after this new government and one of the things it mentioned is training of ex-soldiers in Japan and in Turkey.

Mr. Kawamura: Excuse me, in Turkey?

Q: In Turkey, yes, it is mentioned in yesterday's newspaper. So, does Turkey have some particular purpose to be chosen as a training center or training country for those soldiers? Why not come to other Muslim countries where they are more similar? It was in yesterday's newspaper, that some soldiers would be trained in Japan and some in Turkey.

Mr. Kawamura: Well, I am not familiar with that plan, so I will check with the relevant bureaus if they should make an announcement.

Q: It was in the Yomiuri.

Mr. Kawamura: I will check and get back to you.
[Note: Japan's future assistance to Afghanistan has been under serious consideration but is not at the stage for announcement.]

XV. Questions concerning the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean

Q: Sir, the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Hatoyama, clearly says that Japan is withdrawing from the Indian Ocean mission in January 2010. We are well-aware of Japan wanting to engage itself in reconstruction efforts and other means, but how about those other allies, those who remain there. Do you think that the Japanese government is overall changing its basic policy on Afghanistan?

Mr. Kawamura: First of all, let me start with the replenishment activities. What is clear now is that the Foreign Minister said there will be no simple extension of the replenishment mission in the Indian Ocean. Part two is that the Minister also confirmed that there will be no introduction of a special bill (to the ongoing extraordinary session of the Diet) regarding the replenishment after the current mandate expires next year. These are all the confirmed positions regarding the Japanese government.

It does not necessarily mean that a replacement will have been made of all decisions of the replenishment itself after the expiration of the current mandate. We will continue to discuss within the government, in any case.

The important thing is Afghan stability and reconstruction. The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have repeatedly underlined that Japan would consider the most effective and best methods for that goal and how Japan could take advantage of its expertise in building reconstruction of the region. We will make a final decision at an early date. We make efforts to reach the final conclusion.

XVI. Further questions concerning assistance to Afghanistan

Q: Before coming to power, the Democratic Party expressed so many times that instead of NATO or the Americans, it would be much better if some Islamic forces would come to Afghanistan as a reconstruction effort, and that would be more peaceful and more understanding means for the Afghan people, and maybe this can placate Afghanistan itself. I would like to know if the Japanese government still believes in such kinds of efforts.

Mr. Kawamura: To be honest, I am not very familiar with that particular idea of sending Islamic forces rather than the international, US or NATO forces to Afghanistan. That particular idea was not even quoted in the Manifesto of the DPJ, I think. But aside from whether it was referred to or not in the DPJ's Manifesto, the current government position is that we are making every possible effort to analyze the situation in Afghanistan and then to draw a conclusion as to how effectively Japan could extend aid to Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts. We will come up later after reaching a consensus within the government on the ways and means of Japan's aid.

Alright, thank you very much.

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