Press Conferences
Press Conference by Foreign Press Secretary Norio Maruyama
Wednesday, February 22, 2017, 4:40 p.m. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
This is a provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only.
Japanese
Japanese
Opening Remarks
(1) FY2016 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ACCEPTANCE OF FOREIGN NATIONALS AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO JAPAN: -Toward an Intercultural Society: Focusing on Life and Active Participation of Foreign Women in Japan
Mr. Norio Maruyama, Foreign Press Secretary: Next week, on March 1 (Wednesday), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) will hold the FY2016 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ACCEPTANCE OF FOREIGN NATIONALS AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO JAPAN, co-hosted with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at Tokyo Women's Plaza.
This will be the eighth International Workshop. Previous themes have included Japan's policy on foreign nationals, assistance for foreign nationals in large-scale disasters, as well as education for children, medical care, and working environment for foreign nationals.
As more foreign nationals become permanent and long-term residents in Japan, an environment needs to be created for realizing a society that supports living in harmony with foreign nationals. Against this backdrop, the upcoming workshop will discuss the nature of this intercultural society, focusing on foreign women living in Japan, under the theme of "Toward an Intercultural Society: Focusing on Life and Active Participation of Foreign Women in Japan."
At the workshop, Foreign State Minister Kentaro Sonoura will deliver the opening remarks, and Amb. William Lacy Swing, Director General of IOM, will then make a keynote speech. This will be followed by presentations from overseas experts on the situation of women migrants in other countries and panel discussions with members of organizations providing assistance to foreign women, as well as women from overseas.
Registration for attending this workshop is still open. Please contact the Foreign Nationals' Affairs Division of the Consular Affairs Bureau for details.
This will be the eighth International Workshop. Previous themes have included Japan's policy on foreign nationals, assistance for foreign nationals in large-scale disasters, as well as education for children, medical care, and working environment for foreign nationals.
As more foreign nationals become permanent and long-term residents in Japan, an environment needs to be created for realizing a society that supports living in harmony with foreign nationals. Against this backdrop, the upcoming workshop will discuss the nature of this intercultural society, focusing on foreign women living in Japan, under the theme of "Toward an Intercultural Society: Focusing on Life and Active Participation of Foreign Women in Japan."
At the workshop, Foreign State Minister Kentaro Sonoura will deliver the opening remarks, and Amb. William Lacy Swing, Director General of IOM, will then make a keynote speech. This will be followed by presentations from overseas experts on the situation of women migrants in other countries and panel discussions with members of organizations providing assistance to foreign women, as well as women from overseas.
Registration for attending this workshop is still open. Please contact the Foreign Nationals' Affairs Division of the Consular Affairs Bureau for details.
(2) 15th Informal Meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change
Foreign Press Secretary Maruyama: The 15th Informal Meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change will take place at Mita Kaigisho in Tokyo on March 9 and 10.
This meeting has taken place annually in Tokyo since 2002 to facilitate candid exchange of views among participants on discussion of climate change negotiations in an informal setting with Japan and Brazil as co-chairs. Chief negotiators on climate change and other practitioners from about 30 countries and organizations will attend this year.
The meeting will involve informal and free exchanges of opinions regarding the assessment of results of the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 22) held in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016 and the approach to negotiations ahead of COP23 to be held in Bonn, Germany in November 2017. These discussions will take place against the backdrop of recent developments such as the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, a new international framework to lower emissions of greenhouse gases from 2020, in November 2016.
This meeting has taken place annually in Tokyo since 2002 to facilitate candid exchange of views among participants on discussion of climate change negotiations in an informal setting with Japan and Brazil as co-chairs. Chief negotiators on climate change and other practitioners from about 30 countries and organizations will attend this year.
The meeting will involve informal and free exchanges of opinions regarding the assessment of results of the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 22) held in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016 and the approach to negotiations ahead of COP23 to be held in Bonn, Germany in November 2017. These discussions will take place against the backdrop of recent developments such as the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, a new international framework to lower emissions of greenhouse gases from 2020, in November 2016.
Takeshima Day
Oikawa, NHK: A ceremony is being held today on Takeshima Day. From the Government of Japan, a Parliamentary Vice-Minister attended the ceremony. I believe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK) lodged a protest against this. Please explain the Government's view of the protest and whether any further action is being taken.
Foreign Press Secretary Maruyama: The ROK made a request. We responded that we cannot accept the ROK's assertion based on the positon Japan has taken.
Takeshima is indisputably an inherent part of the territory of Japan, in light of historical facts and based on international law. In addition, the Takeshima issue is not one that can be quickly resolved. Japan needs to clearly communicate to the ROK that what is unacceptable cannot be accepted and respond in a calm and persistent manner from a broad perspective.
While difficult issues remain between Japan and the ROK, Japan will work toward building a multi-layered and future-oriented Japan-ROK relationship from a broad perspective, by continuing to maintain communications between the two countries.
Foreign Press Secretary Maruyama: The ROK made a request. We responded that we cannot accept the ROK's assertion based on the positon Japan has taken.
Takeshima is indisputably an inherent part of the territory of Japan, in light of historical facts and based on international law. In addition, the Takeshima issue is not one that can be quickly resolved. Japan needs to clearly communicate to the ROK that what is unacceptable cannot be accepted and respond in a calm and persistent manner from a broad perspective.
While difficult issues remain between Japan and the ROK, Japan will work toward building a multi-layered and future-oriented Japan-ROK relationship from a broad perspective, by continuing to maintain communications between the two countries.