Press Conferences

Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs:Today, February 24, the Government of Japan decided to extend six million dollars of emergency grant aid to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons and others through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Since the severe cold wave developed in January resulted in the shortage of winterization non-food items in Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, we provide them for socially vulnerable people including Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons. This aid is implemented to realize further expansion of humanitarian assistance in the Middle East which was announced recently by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as well as a part of “Enhancing Diplomacy Towards Stability and Prosperity in the Middle East” which is the second pillar of the “3-Pillar Foreign Policy in Response to the Terrorist Incident Regarding the Murder of Japanese” that I recently announced.

Minister Kishida: On February 23 in Vienna, together with Kazakhstan, Japan was nominated as the co-chair country for the 9th Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This year, which is the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings, as the co-chair Japan will hold the CTBT Group of Eminent Persons (GEM) meeting on August 24 and 25 in Hiroshima. This will be part of Japan’s leadership as the co-chair country for realistic and practical measures toward achieving “a world free of nuclear weapons,” starting with the early entry into force of the CTBT.

Fukai, TBS: My question concerns the CTBT. While you have already been elected in Hiroshima, can I ask what you are eager to achieve as the conference chair?

Minister Kishida: This year is the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will also be held. It is in this context that Japan has been nominated together with Kazakhstan as the co-chair country of the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT. So in a year that is such an important anniversary, I believe Japan must play a role of leading the international discussions toward achieving “a world free of nuclear weapons” and also various other discussions.
Up to the present time, Japan has participated in these discussions within a variety of frameworks including the NPDI. Based on this track record, we would like to play a strong role as the chair country.

Fukai, TBS: Yesterday, Mr. Koya Nishikawa, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, resigned. This is the third member of the Prime Minister’s second Cabinet to resign due to a problem related to politics and finance. May I ask your opinion of the impact on the management of the administration and the fact that this sort of problem is repeatedly occurring?

Minister Kishida: First of all, I think that the resignation of Agriculture Minister Nishikawa is highly regrettable. However, the Diet is currently in session, and there are many issues we have to deal with, including agriculture cooperative reform. The government must come together as one and firmly grapple with these various issues. I intend to pull myself together to face such political issues.

Fukai, TBS: Mr. Hayashi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, has been appointed from your faction. This means that five cabinet ministers now hail from your faction. What do you think of the presence of your Kochi Kai faction?

Minister Kishida: In any case, this designation of Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is the result of Minister Nishikawa’s resignation, so it is my belief that the government must jointly grapple with the various policy issues while standing in firm support of Mr. Hayashi, the new Minister.
As the government, we intend to brace ourselves in facing the Diet in light of this situation.

Fukai, TBS: Next, regarding Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) relations, the ROK has responded negatively with regard to the dispatch of a Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Takeshima Day, saying that it was lamentable and the like. Now this is the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations and I assume that a summit meeting will be desirable, so what is the current state of progress and coordination?
 
Minister Kishida: First of all, the commemorative ceremony for Takeshima Day by Shimane Prefecture was held on the 23rd. There was a protest from the ROK side against the attendance by Mr. Matsumoto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office. We responded to the effect that we could not accept the protest from the ROK side in light of the Japanese position regarding Takeshima. In any case, the Japanese position concerning Takeshima is as we have expressed time and again, and we intend to continue to make efforts toward resolving the issue calmly and peacefully.
Now, on the other hand, with regard to movement toward a Japan-China-ROK trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting, there has been nothing decided as of this moment regarding specific schedules and others. However, Japan has always put importance on such trilateral arrangements as foreign ministers’ meetings and summit meetings in order to promote the Japan-China-ROK relationship in a future-oriented manner. We strongly hope that efforts led by the ROK, the current chair, will be continued toward holding the meeting.

Matsumoto, Jiji Press: Last night, as he was resigning, Minister Nishikawa said, “People who won’t understand no matter how much I explain, will never understand.” Do you think that Mr. Nishikawa gave sufficient explanations through his answers in the Diet and others?
Also, will the curtains be drawn on the issue of Mr. Nishikawa and the donations by his resignation? Or do you think that there will continue to be demands that Mr. Nishikawa fulfill his responsibility to offer an explanation?

Minister Kishida: Minister Nishikawa had continued to make efforts up to this day to offer an explanation in the Budget Committee and elsewhere. However, I think that it is difficult for me to say anything about the substance and whether it was sufficient. As a general proposition, I do believe that a politician should firmly fulfill such a responsibility to offer an explanation.

Fukai, TBS: Concerning Japan-North Korea relations, what is the current state of progress; what is the situation regarding the consultations and the like?

Minister Kishida: Concerning Japan-North Korea relations, with regard to the report by their Special Investigation Committee, we have continued to insist that it should be provided as promptly as possible and honestly. We have been working on this with North Korea through embassy routes, and there has been meetings between Japan, the United States, and the ROK within this framework.

Minister Kishida: We also held meetings between our representatives and the representatives of China and Russia to the Six-Party Talks. We intend to urge the North Korean side to take positive action by making efforts through such a Japan-U.S.-ROK framework, the Six-Party Talks framework, the United Nations and others.