Press Conferences

Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs: At today’s Cabinet meeting it was decided to extend emergency grant aid of approximately 820 million yen to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which consists of sending and distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) and providing technical support on infection prevention, in order to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus disease.

Additionally, we recently decided to second Dr. Shiro Konuma, Senior Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (formerly Director of the Global Health Policy Division), who holds a medical license, to the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER). Furthermore, a Japanese medical expert is also scheduled to be dispatched to the WHO mission within the next few days, the 11th such expert to be dispatched.

Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs: The Third Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons is being held in Vienna from yesterday, December 8. The Government of Japan has always attached importance to passing down the sufferings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki across borders and generations and has made repeated efforts to that end. Based on that perspective, we welcome the active debate taking place there on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons with the participation of countries possessing nuclear weapons, namely, the U.S. and the U.K.

As minister, I issued instructions that the level at which the Japanese delegation is represented at this conference be upgraded compared to previous conferences. An “all-Japan” delegation that includes experts and atomic-bomb survivors and is led by Ambassador Toshio Sano of the Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament is contributing to the conference. The Government of Japan intends to continue to advocate the importance of pursuing realistic and practical efforts for achieving “a world without nuclear weapons” by sharing recognition of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons in the international community.

Fujita, Fuji TV: My question concerns the election. There are forecasts emerging that the Liberal Democratic Party may win more than 300 parliamentary seats on its own, but what are your views on this, as a faction leader?

Minister Kishida: Regarding the overall parliamentary seats, I recognize that they are the accumulated result in the individual constituencies and the proportional-representation constituencies, and as you might expect I view the response made in each and every electoral district as important. The fact is, I have traveled around various regions and am aware that circumstances in the electoral districts vary, and that there are still a large number of electoral districts where the election is being fought extremely fiercely. Several days remain before the election day. I also recognize that there are still many citizens who have not decided how they will vote yet. I believe it will not be possible to relax until the very end, and I am aware that each representative in each electoral district will be required to continue to make a firm effort.

Fujita, Fuji TV: Japan-Russia Director-General level talks were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, and during those talks the issue of a visit to Japan by President Putin was also touched on, but I expect that ahead of President Putin’s visit to Japan the Minister of Foreign Affairs will want to visit Russia, to begin with. On the other hand, there are media reports emerging in Russia that a vice-ministerial level discussion will take place in February. Could you comment on Japan-Russia developments and progress with receptiveness?

Minister Kishida: You raised three questions, and I will start with the last one about a Japan-Russia vice-ministerial level talks. It has been agreed that coordination will take place with the aim of holding this around in February. A specific date is to be coordinated via the diplomatic route in the future. Regarding a Japan-Russia foreign ministers’ meeting, there was mention of a foreign ministers’ meeting but according to the report I received, a specific date was not discussed. And in regards to President Putin’s visit to Japan, I received a report that this was also discussed, but no specific date was discussed.

Consequently, my understanding is that a comprehensive decision will be made on the issues of a Foreign Minister’s visit to Russia and a presidential visit to Japan, taking various factors into account, including the state of preparations.

Fujita, Fuji TV: Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General Ihara will visit Mongolia from tomorrow and I expect he will hold meetings there and will discuss various issues with Mongolia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including security and regional issues. I assume the North Korea issue will also be discussed. The Chief Cabinet Secretary has said that it will make sense if an answer is received from the North Korean side by the end of the year, although at present not much progress can be detected. What are your views regarding progress of some kind in this area?

Minister Kishida: Regarding relations with North Korea, we have dispatched a delegation led by Director-General Ihara to Pyongyang, and the delegation conveyed Japan’s positions and requested that North Korea carries out its investigation with integrity and reports its findings promptly. And following this the situation is that we have continued to communicate by conveying these views via the embassy route. I intend to continue to firmly deliver Japan’s positions and rigorously request a proactive response from North Korea.

Matsui, Asahi Shimbun: Tomorrow the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets will come into force. In connection with that, could you tell us the number of specially designated secrets within the parameters that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has jurisdiction over, and how many people handle them, if you know?

Minister Kishida: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently undertaking the works needed to specify specially designated secrets promptly after this act comes into force. We are in the process of working to specify information that qualifies as specially designated secrets. The figures and numbers that you mentioned in your question are part of that process, and at present I have not received a report that the works have been completed. We intend to continue to work urgently so that it is possible to carry out designations promptly after the act comes into force.

Matsui, Asahi Shimbun: In connection with that, I understand that sorting out contact points for whistle-blowers will be a key issue, but what is the state of those preparations and what are your views regarding whether citizens’ understanding has been obtained?

Minister Kishida: Various preparatory works are under way. Preparations are moving ahead in regard to the issue you raised also. Where the understanding of citizens is concerned, thus far also we have continued to explain the issues carefully via Diet deliberations and so on, and I recognize that as we move ahead with this work we will have to continue to use various opportunities to provide careful explanations on the implementation of this act and the state of those preparations.

Kojima, NHK: My question concerns the Japan-China-Republic of Korea Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which I understand is being coordinated by the ROK side. Has the ROK communicated anything currently?

Minister Kishida: Currently we have not received any concrete notification or proposals. Japan has been emphasizing the importance of maintaining dialogues, and therefore it attaches importance to the Japan-China-Republic of Korea Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Summit Meeting. In the November ASEAN+3 Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Abe said that he hoped that this Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting would be held at the earliest opportunity and that it would lead to the Summit Meeting. Also, in November at the Japan-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, I myself proposed to Mr. Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China, that the Japan-China-Republic of Korea Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting be held at an early stage. So although a specific schedule has not been determined at the current stage, I strongly hope that we make positive progress toward holding this meeting through such efforts.

Sakata, Chugoku Shimbun: My question relates to the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. While the U.S. has participated, there are opinions that it is not that enthusiastic about joining the debate on nuclear disarmament. What is your understanding about this?

Minister Kishida: My understanding about the Conference is that discussions are still continuing. The participation in this Conference of the U.S. and the U.K. is a progress, as the cooperation and understanding of countries that possess nuclear weapons is indispensable to advancing nuclear disarmament. We need to continue to keep a close watch on the direction this debate takes.

Ikeda, Ryukyu Shimpo: On December 9, the former Governor of Okinawa, Mr. Hirokazu Nakaima, leaves office and on December 10 the new Governor, Mr. Takeshi Onaga, will assume office. I think that measures to reduce the impact on Okinawa and other issues will be dealt with in the future, but I would like to ask about your hopes for the new Okinawa Governor.

Minister Kishida: With regards to the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan and mitigating the impact on Okinawa, I consider that the Government of Japan will continue to firmly implement the same policy that it has done up to the present time. In the meantime, I believe that it is important that we understand the feelings of the local people and that we aim to clearly explain our position and communicate with them. I think that we will implement our policy while continuing to attach importance to this basic philosophy. As we are in an election period, I have not heard of anything specific being decided upon, but I believe that we will continue to value the basic policy I just described.

Hisaka, Kyodo Press: In the talks yesterday with Russia, was there any mention of the additional sanctions?

Minister Kishida: With regards to the additional sanctions and additional measures, the Ukraine issue was discussed during the NSC four ministers’ meeting, including a discussion of the additional measures. I understand that this will be clarified in the press conference to be held later by the Chief Cabinet Secretary. I think you will hear more information at that time.