Section 3 Diplomacy with the Support of the Public

1 Proactive Communications to the Public

(1) Overview

Public understanding and support are indispensable for the smooth implementation of Japan's foreign policy. As such, providing prompt and clear explanations on the policy details and on the role of the government is crucial. Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is making efforts in timely and effective public relations, using various forms of media, lectures, publications and others.

(2) Providing Information Through Domestic Media

MOFA has committed itself to promptly and accurately providing information through various media, such as newspapers, television and the Internet, in order to gain the understanding and support of Japanese nationals for Japan's foreign policy. To provide information effectively, regular press conferences are conducted by the Foreign Minister and the Press Secretary, while extraordinary press conferences are held as necessary. Press conferences by the Foreign Minister with simultaneous English interpretations are open to various media including Internet media, and the records and videos of the press conferences are posted on MOFA's website. During foreign visits by the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister, MOFA provides information from visiting countries/regions via multiple means, including the Internet, so that people can promptly follow and understand the purposes and the outcomes of the visits. MOFA also regularly releases statements by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or Press Secretary on individual international issues, expressing the position of the Government of Japan. Similarly, MOFA frequently provides press releases on its daily diplomatic activities. Additionally, the Minister and State Ministers for Foreign Affairs explain the Government's foreign policies directly to the public through appearances on various media and interviews.

Press Conference by Foreign Minister Hayashi (August 10, Tokyo)

(3) Information Provision Through the Internet

MOFA's website (in Japanese and English) promptly provides information on the diplomatic activities of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister as well as on Japan's foreign policy including territory/sovereignty, recognition of history and security, along with the latest international relations and other basic relevant information.

MOFA's website in the Japanese language provides a variety of contents for Japanese nationals across a wide range of age groups, including the “Anything Report from Around the World,” “Find Out about International Situations” and “MOFA for Kids.” In particular, “MOFA for Kids” publishes contents for children such as videos and quizzes to explain MOFA's activities in an easy-to-understand way, and Q&A corners explaining vocabularies and international issues that are covered frequently in the news and newspapers (see the Column on page 363).

In addition to the above, MOFA provides a variety of information through various social media platforms. In 2022, MOFA actively provided information on the situation in Ukraine, along with live streaming of the regular press conferences by the Foreign Minister (in Japanese and English) and posting of video messages delivered at international conferences on social media.

MOFA's official website: https://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html

MOFA's official website

MOFA's official Facebook account

MOFA's official Twitter account: https://twitter.com/MofaJapan_en

MOFA's official Twitter account

(4) Dialogue with Japanese Nationals

With the notion of “Public Relations through Dialogue with the People,” MOFA promotes direct dialogue between the people and the Foreign Minister, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and MOFA officials.

Foreign Minister Hayashi, along with State Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke, held roundtable dialogues in November with those who are based in Nagasaki Prefecture based on the theme “Nagasaki to Global,” and in December with those who are based in Yamagata Prefecture based on the theme “Yamagata to Global.” These lively exchanges of opinions about Japan's diplomatic policies and the appeal of each region were undertaken as a part of the “Local to Global” Project that aims to promote the attractiveness of regional areas of Japan worldwide (see Section 1.3 on page 347).

Roundtable dialogue, “Yamagata to Global” (December 11, Yamagata Grand Hotel)

At the “Dialogue with Students,” a MOFA seminar for university students and others held online in February, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs UESUGI Kentaro gave an opening address, and Foreign Ministry officials exchanged views with a large number of the participating students during the lectures. At the “Children's Kasumigaseki Tour Day” held in August, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Uesugi answered various questions from elementary and junior high school students regarding diplomacy and other matters in the “Children's Press Conference.” The program “From Japan's Overseas Diplomatic Missions! Ask Diplomats About the World” was also implemented as a two-way online exchange from Japanese diplomatic missions overseas, transmitted live and through video recordings.

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Uesugi taking a commemorative photograph with children participating in the “Children's Kasumigaseki Tour Day”

Various programs in which MOFA sends its officials to venues such as local government offices, international exchange organizations, universities and high schools throughout Japan were conducted both online and in person at the request of the participating organizations. These included “Lectures on the International Situations,” “Diplomatic Talks,” “Talks for High School,” and “Visits by elementary, junior and senior-high school students to MOFA.” The “International Issues Presentation Contest” for university students was held in person and broadcast online at the same time. Through these programs, MOFA promotes better understanding of foreign policy and international affairs among young people, who will bear the future of Japan on their shoulders.

“Lectures on the International Situations” (September 28, UN Association of Japan Fukuoka Head Office)

International Issues Presentation Contest (November 5, Nihonbashi Social Education Center)

MOFA officials also give lectures on Japan's ODA policies and specific measures to numerous schools in online “ODA Delivery Lectures.” Additionally, MOFA publishes the periodical journal “Diplomacy,” widely sharing information on international affairs relevant to Japan and discussions taking place in various areas at various levels concerning diplomacy. In 2022, the journal took up a range of diplomatic challenges as themes that offered an overview of the current international situation while examining Russia's aggression against Ukraine and its impact on the world from multifaceted viewpoints, and featured a large number of essays and other articles from renowned experts both inside and outside Japan.

Periodical journal “Diplomacy”

Moreover, MOFA also produced various pamphlets and videos aimed at a broad readership in order to promote a deeper understanding on the organization and foreign policies of MOFA. In addition to the above, MOFA hears comments and opinions from the public through its website. Comments and opinions from the public are accordingly shared within MOFA and used as a reference in policy making and planning.

“MOFA for Kids” top page

“Namaste! Banana is highly nutritious and effective in preventing heatstroke. Now, which country produces the most bananas in the world?”

This is one of the questions posted in a quiz series on the “MOFA Yawaraka Tweet” (@MofaJapan_ITPR) Twitter account that offers a variety of overseas information in a casual and easy-to-understand manner, under the hashtag “#Instruction Manual of MOFA for Kids.” Although the Philippines received the most votes in answer to this question, the correct answer is, in fact, India. Such trivia can also be found on “MOFA for Kids.”

“MOFA for Kids” is a dedicated website for children, launched under MOFA's website in 2006. Targeted mainly at elementary and junior high school students, it introduces MOFA's work and initiatives, information about each country, international issues, and other topics in an easy-to-understand manner, such as by using quizzes and illustrations.

●The most popular content is “Global Trivia Ranking”

“MOFA's Work on Videos”

The section that receives the most hits in the “MOFA for Kids” site is “Global Trivia Ranking.” It covers a wide range of themes, from “countries with large areas” and “highly populated countries,” to “countries that produce many bananas,” “countries with many endangered species,” and “countries with high levels of achieving the SDGs.” As the country rankings for each topic can be seen at a glance, the section has a good reputation as a useful tool for research and summer vacation homework assignments.

The “Q&A” section provides answers to questions about the international situation, such as “What is the relationship like between Japan and the United States?” and “What is Japan doing to address climate change issues?” It also provides easy-to-understand explanations to terms that are frequently used in the news, such as “EEZ” and “TICAD.”

Other contents on the site include “MOFA's Work on Videos,” “Countries and Regions of the World,” “National Flags of the World,” and “Sport for Tomorrow,” which features Japan's sports diplomacy. The contents are designed to allow parents and children to learn together, to increase interest and concern among children toward diplomacy and the world, and to provide an opportunity to enhance their understanding.

●The keyword is “excitement”─Supporting children's desire to learn more!

“Diplomat's Test for Kids”

“MOFA for Kids” is packed full of information while also offering a sense of “excitement” to stir the curiosity of children. Various contrivances are hidden in the illustrations on the top page. The illustrations and their colors change depending on the time of the day, such as afternoon, evening, and night. By moving the magnifying glass cursor, users can discover statistics such as the total global population and the number of countries in the world. Each time you visit the page, you will find new surprises and interesting mechanisms that will make you want to click and find out more.

In addition, the section “Diplomat's Test for Kids” has been renewed and republished in March. Comprising three-choice questions and a map-based puzzle, the contents are designed to enable children to play while learning. The section contains mechanisms such as, if they answer the quiz questions correctly by using the illustrations, they will be presented with a moving “reward stamp.” As a result, the number of page hits has increased rapidly by about seven times compared to before the page renewal.

To facilitate greater knowledge about MOFA's work, diplomatic policies, and international situation, as well as to support children's “desire to learn more,” all those in charge of the site's contents are working hard to create a fun site and to enhance the contents of “MOFA for Kids” more than ever before.

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• (Note) “MOFA for Kids” (URL and QR code)
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/kids/index.html (Japanese only)
  

(5) Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records and Access to Information

To further enhance the public understanding of and confidence in Japan's foreign policy, MOFA is actively engaging itself in the smooth transfer of records and their declassification, and in efforts to facilitate greater convenience in the public use of diplomatic documents.

MOFA preserves more than 120,000 historical materials, including 40,000 prewar historical documents in its Diplomatic Archives and has declassified its postwar diplomatic records since 1976 as a voluntary initiative. The Rules on the Declassification of Diplomatic Records, which were established in May 2010, stipulate: (1) the declassification of diplomatic documents created more than 30 years ago in principle, and (2) the establishment of the “Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of the Diplomatic Records,” which is chaired by the State Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as attended by external experts, to further promote the declassification of diplomatic records and improve its transparency. The number of files that have been transferred to the Diplomatic Archives and made public since then reached approximately 37,000 by the end of 2022.

Furthermore, MOFA discloses information pursuant to the Act on Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs, while giving consideration to national security, the relationship of mutual trust with other countries, the impact on diplomatic negotiations and the protection of personal information. In 2022, MOFA received 1,245 requests for disclosure, and documents totaling 81,068 pages were disclosed.