Press Conferences

NHK, Aoki: The online U.S.-China Summit Meeting has begun. Please share with us your thoughts on how the Government of Japan will observe the meeting.

Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs: I am aware that the online U.S.-China Summit Meeting began this morning Japan time. Since this is a meeting between third-party countries, I would like to refrain from commenting. If I were to say anything further, it would be that I believe the stability of U.S.-China relations is extremely important for the international community. The Government of Japan has been monitoring the situation, including the summit meeting this time.

Under our firm relationship of mutual trust with our ally the United States, Japan will continue to urge China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major power, while advancing various forms of cooperation with the U.S.

Asahi Shimbun, Sugawara: I would like to ask about the NPT Review Conference.

When you met with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu yesterday, I believe she requested you to attend the NPT Review Conference in January 2022. It will be held in January 2022 so this is a little bit into the future. During the administration of Prime Minister Kishida, who has said that nuclear disarmament is his life’s work, what significance do you believe this Conference entails? In addition, please tell us your thoughts on whether you should attend.

Minister Hayashi: The NPT Review Conference will be held from January 4-28, 2022 in New York. Nothing has been decided yet on who will attend from Japan.

In any event, Japan will play an active role so that the Conference can achieve significant results.

Concerning the TPNW, I believe it is an important treaty that can be described as an exit to a world without nuclear weapons. However, the cooperation of nuclear-weapon states is necessary to change the reality, but not even one nuclear-weapon state has signed the treaty.

Therefore, I believe that Japan, as the only country to have experienced wartime atomic bombing, must work so that nuclear-weapon states participate. Based on the trust of our sole ally the United States, Japan will work to jointly advance to realize a “world without nuclear weapons.”

Chugoku Shimbun, Higuchi: Following up on the TPNW, the Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW is scheduled to be held in March in Vienna, Austria. Following her meeting with Prime Minister Kishida yesterday, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu stated on a television program later that Prime Minister Kishida was cautious about attending the Meeting. At this point, do you believe that there needs to be a government dignitary traveling to attend the Meeting, and are you considering attending?

Minister Hayashi: Our view on the TPNW is as Prime Minister Kishida already stated and as I stated earlier. I believe that we need to respond based on this view and based on what Prime Minister Kishida has stated.

Reuters, Slodkowski: Last night, the U.S. journalist Danny Fenster, who had been detained in Myanmar, was released. At the same time, last night, Myanmar’s military-owned media reported that Mr. Sasakawa, the Chairman of Nippon Foundation, who is Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, called for his release.

Firstly, how was Mr. Sasakawa involved and how did he contribute to Mr. Fenster’s release?

Minister Hayashi: I know that Mr. Yohei Sasakawam the Chairman of Nippon Foundation met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services of Myanmar, in Naypyidaw on November 13.

Mr. Sasakawa’s recent visit to Myanmar was not conducted in his position as Special Envoy of the Government of Japan. Additionally, although there has been a certain degree of communication between the Government and Mr. Sasakawa, I would like to refrain from revealing the details of the content and other matters.

There is no change to the Government of Japan’s policy of continuing various diplomatic efforts to improve the situation in Myanmar and break the deadlock.

Yomiuri Shimbun, Abe: There are reports indicating that the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held in December, with the invitation of ASEAN. Please share with us what you will convey and what your expectations are. Please also tell us whether you will attend.

Minister Hayashi: The G7 agreed during the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in May that they would hold the second meeting within the year. However, I know that the United Kingdom, which holds the G7 Presidency, is currently coordinating the details on the schedule, topics of discussion, and other matters. I would like to refrain from speaking about specific matters.

If I were to say anything further, it would be that the Government of the United Kingdom has announced its intention to invite ASEAN to the meeting. Japan welcomes this as a manifestation of its will to strengthen the engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

Furthermore, a decision has not been made on my attendance at this point.

Reuters, Slodkowski: I would like to ask a question related to my question earlier. You stated that Mr. Sasakawa, the Special Envoy of the Government of Japan’s recent visit to Myanmar was not conducted in his position as Special Envoy. However, this is a very sensitive timing. ASEAN is not inviting Myanmar to its meetings and wants to dispatch its Special Envoy to Myanmar. The extremely tense situation is continuing. I believe the possibility of meeting Ms. Suu Kyi is a point of contention. I believe that Mr. Sasakawa did not meet Ms. Suu Kyi during this visit. Please tell us your view on Mr. Sasakawa’s visit at this timing. In addition, I believe that Mr. Sasakawa met with Myanmar’s Minister for Health and had some sort of discussion or negotiation on vaccines. Please tell us whether Japan plans to donate vaccines to Myanmar and whether that is related to Mr. Sasakawa’s visit and the release of Mr. Fenster.

Minister Hayashi: As I stated earlier, I know that Mr. Sasakawa met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services of Myanmar, in Naypyidaw on November 13, but he did not do so in his position as Special Envoy of the Government of Japan.

Although we maintain a certain degree of communication with Mr. Sasakawa, the Government of Japan did not coordinate Mr. Sasakawa’s recent visit with the Myanmar side. Furthermore, as I stated earlier, Mr. Sasakawa’s recent visit was not conducted in his position as Special Envoy of the Government of Japan, and therefore the Government of Japan is not in the position to comment on the visit.

Regarding the issue of vaccines, Japan has been implementing humanitarian assistance for Myanmar since February 2021. We will consider humanitarian assistance in cooperation with international organizations based on the local situation and the necessity and urgency from a humanitarian perspective.

The Government of Japan will stand close with the people of Myanmar who are facing hardships.

TV Asahi, Sawai: I would like to ask about your telephone talk with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken this weekend. I have heard that the two of you clicked because both of you were band members. Please tell us if you decided to call each other by your first names or nicknames.

Moreover, you have mentioned that you agreed to hold an in-person meeting at an early timing. If the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is held in early December in the United Kingdom, as mentioned in a previous question, will you coordinate a bilateral meeting to be held then?

Minister Hayashi: I held a Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Talk with Secretary of State Blinken on November 13. The Japan-U.S. Alliance is the linchpin of Japan’s diplomacy and security, and I believe it was extremely significant that my first telephone talks upon assuming my position of Minister for Foreign Affairs were with Secretary of State Blinken. I believe it was an important first step for building a relationship of personal trust with Secretary of State Blinken.

About nicknames, we agreed that I would call Secretary of State Blinken “Tony” and that he would call me “Yogi.” Yogi comes from the U.S. cartoon Yogi Bear. It is a nickname I have always had since I went to the United States when I used to work for a company.

As you pointed out, I formed a band called Gi!nz, and Secretary of State Blinken also formed a band. That came up in our discussion. I hope to play in harmony with Secretary of State Blinken toward the further strengthening of the Alliance.

We agreed to have an in-person foreign ministers’ meeting at an early timing. However, the specific schedule has not been decided at this point, including for the meeting you mentioned in your question.

Pan Orient News, Azhari: First, I would like to thank the Foreign Ministry for continuing the practice of allowing us to ask in English although you answer in Japanese, it is okay. My question is the United States Emirates' Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah visited Syria recently. And the US Embassy is reopened in Damascus. What is Japan's position on the situation in Syria currently, and specifically, does the Japanese government plan to reopen its embassy in Syria, or at least resume the consular services through another embassy in Damascus?

Minister Hayashi: Thank you. Japan is monitoring whether the move towards high-level exchanges with Syria by some Arab countries, including the UAE which you mentioned, can influence the stalled political process as 11 years have already passed since the start of the Syrian crisis.

Japan has already provided a total of over 3.1 billion dollars in humanitarian assistance since 2012 for the people of Syria who are facing hardships. Japan intends to continue to closely cooperate with the international community toward advancing the political process under the United Nations and resolving the Syrian crisis while working to improve the humanitarian situation through such humanitarian assistance.

The reason for the temporary closure of the Embassy of Japan in Syria and its relocation to Beirut in neighboring Lebanon was mainly the worsening local political situation. I believe we will decide on the resumption of the Embassy’s duties in Damascus as we monitor the local situation, but we do not have a plan for the resumption of duties at this point.

Kyodo News, Maeda: I would like to ask about the role that Japan should play in U.S.-China relations, which you mentioned at the beginning. In response to the first question, I believe you stated that the improvement of U.S.-China relations is important for global stability. You are well-versed in China. Beyond Japan’s urging thus far, what new strategy or kind of urging do you think would be appropriate?

Minister Hayashi: The meeting was held just today, so I would like to analyze the relevant information.

In any event, we believe that the stability of U.S.-China relations is extremely important not only for those two countries but also the international community, so the Government of Japan has been observing the situation, including this summit meeting.