Press Conference by the Deputy Press Secretary, 19 August 2010

1. Statement by the Prime Minister on the Relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea
2. Additional Assistance to Peacekeeping Training Centers in Africa
3. Additional Emergency Grant Aid for the People Affected by the Flood in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
4. Statement by the Press Secretary on the suicide bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq
5. Questions concerning the Japan-ROK relationship
6. Questions concerning US-ROK joint military exercises
7. Questions concerning the explosion aboard a Japanese super tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Statement by the Prime Minister on the Relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea

Deputy Press Secretary Hidenobu Sobashima: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Today I have four sets of topics to share with you before inviting your questions.

First is the statement of the Prime Minister on the relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea. It was already a week ago that this statement was issued, so I do not intend to explain the contents but if you have questions please ask me.

Additional Assistance to Peacekeeping Training Centers in Africa

Mr. Sobashima: The second is the additional assistance to peacekeeping training centers in Africa. The Government of Japan decided to provide additional assistance to peacekeeping training centers in Africa. To Mali, Ghana and Egypt, the assistance is additional. To Cameroon, this is new assistance. As you notice in the note part of the press release, Japan's cooperation to peacekeeping training centers in Africa has been underway for some years. We have already provided assistance, as I already mentioned, to Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mali and Rwanda for the construction and rehabilitation of facilities, the provision of equipment such as computers, and the conduct of training courses. The beneficiaries have been expanded to cover Benin, Nigeria and South Africa. We have dispatched 15 Japanese lecturers for the benefit of more than 1,200 people, either military, police or civilian personnel. This is the second topic.

Additional Emergency Grant Aid for the People Affected by the Flood in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Mr. Sobashima: Last Monday, Japan decided to extend emergency grant aid of up to 10 million USD to Pakistan in response to the disastrous floods caused by the unprecedented heavy rain, in addition to the original 3 million USD grant aid, which had already been announced on August 3.

As you notice, we also announced the provision of relief goods amounting to about 240,000 USD. So these are the items of assistance to Pakistan.

Also, in the course of today, there will be a meeting in the United Nations – a special meeting – devoted to discussions on the flood in Pakistan, and State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Osamu Fujimura will be participating in this meeting in New York.

Statement by the Press Secretary on the suicide bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq

Mr. Sobashima: The next item is the statement by the Press Secretary on the suicide bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq.

Japan is greatly shocked and indignant at the suicide bomb attack on August 17 at an army recruitment center in Baghdad, Iraq, which caused many casualties. Japan expresses its deepest condolences to those who have been killed by the attacks and the families of the victims.

Terrorism cannot be justified for any reason, and Japan reiterates its firm condemnation of these atrocious acts of terrorism that indiscriminately target innocent people.

Japan expects that the Iraqi people will maintain mutual respect for different ethnic and religious groups and continue making efforts toward nation-building, including the formation of a new Government based on the result of the elections of last March, while promoting national reconciliation. Japan will keep its proactive support towards such efforts of the Iraqi people.

So these are the topics I would like to share with you at the outset. Today I do not have any new announcements about VIP visits, so I invite your questions.

Questions concerning the Japan-ROK relationship

Q: Would you say a little bit about the Japan-South Korea relationship? Are there any additional events coming up, either on 22 or 29 August, or was this statement by Prime Minister Naoto Kan the sole answer to the centennial of the annexation?

Mr. Sobashima: In relation to the 100th year of the Japan-Korea annexation treaty, we do not have any plans – you said additional events? Of course, we have various events which are planned between the two countries.

As for the statement of the Prime Minister – this is the statement. In the statement, I think you noticed that Japan will transfer precious archives originated from the Korean Peninsula that were brought to Japan during the period of Japan's rule through the Governor-General of Korea and that the Government of Japan possesses, such as the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty. So as we announced, this is going to take place, although we do not know exactly when.

In relation to the 100th anniversary of the annexation treaty, this is the statement.

Q: If I may just follow up on that, I thought that, for example, you would exchange on a special day, or there would be an invitation for some Koreans to come to Japan, there is nothing like this?

Mr. Sobashima: I am not aware of what you have said.

Q: Can you perhaps specify a little bit? Do you think that this transfer will take place starting in September or at the year end?

Mr. Sobashima: No. Well, of course, we hope that this transfer will take place at an early time; however, because first we need to identify what documents or things will be transferred – and then we should go through the procedures. Perhaps we need to follow some procedures, perhaps we may carry out procedures in the Diet. In that case, it may take some time. So we do not have a schedule yet for this. We will start consideration for implementing what the Prime Minister's statement says.

Q: We understand that today Japanese and South Korean parliament members are having a meeting in Tokyo. Expectations are growing among Korean parliament members that Japan will take additional measures, in addition to Prime Minister Kan's statement, to address the annexation and the past 100 years. What does the Foreign Minister think about the possibility of the Japanese Government taking additional measures beyond this statement by the Prime Minister?

Mr. Sobashima: Surely, the Government's intention is to implement what was announced by the Prime Minister. Beyond that, there have been no decisions. This is my short answer to your question.

However, I will just draw your attention to the fact that in the statement itself, the third paragraph, the Prime Minister says, "I will continue in all sincerity conducting such humanitarian cooperation as the assistance to ethnic Koreans left in Sakhalin and the assistance in returning remains of the people from the Korean Peninsula." And then comes the transfer. So the Government will implement what was announced by the Prime Minister.

Q: Also, as an additional question, some people in Korea question the validity or effectiveness of the annexation treaty which was concluded 100 years ago. Does the Japanese Government view this treaty which was completed in the colonial era as a valid legal document?

Mr. Sobashima: What we can say is that as a result of the Treaty of Basic Relations between the two countries, both countries regard this treaty already null and void. That is the answer that I can provide to you. So the two countries agree on this, I understand.

Questions concerning US-ROK joint military exercises

Q: I would like to stay in the region but change the topic. There will be new maritime exercises between South Korea and the United States in the Yellow Sea, beginning in September. Is Japan interested in sending some observers to this mission, or is it somehow involved?

Mr. Sobashima: I do not have anything to say in response to your question. Of course, we know about the plan; however, whether or not... I do not have the answer to your question.

Questions concerning the explosion aboard a Japanese super tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Q: Furthermore, to the west, there is still an investigation going on regarding the super tanker, which was probably attacked. Do you know of any further details you can share with us?

Mr. Sobashima: Yes. As for the incident of the super tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, yesterday, there was a meeting for its investigation in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism with the participation of experts and representatives of the ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was the first such meeting of the investigation of the incident.

However, what I can offer is only this - they, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, they are ready to answer if you have any questions. They have already issued a press release about yesterday's meeting. I think that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will be ready to take your questions if you have some. Let me just reiterate to you that now they are ready. Because the meeting was organized by that ministry, I will refrain from explaining the details of that meeting, even the schedule of the next meeting, at this instant.

Q: But in general, the Japanese Government is still not officially saying that there was an attack on the super tanker?

Mr. Sobashima: Again, if it comes to the substance of the incident, please refer your questions to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. What I can say is that the investigation is still underway. This is my understanding.

Thank you very much.