Press Conferences

Fujita, Fuji TV: My question concerns gas fields. Yesterday China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again stated in a press conference that gas field development in the vicinity of the median line between Japan and China, in other words, unilateral gas field development by China, is within China’s rights. A Japan-China-Republic of Korea Trilateral Summit Meeting and a Japan-China Consultation on Maritime Affairs are scheduled to be held in the near future, but will it be possible to reach a compromise between the positions taken by China and by Japan, which are directly contrary to each other?

Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs: First, this will be the fourth Japan-China High Level Consultation on Maritime Affairs, I believe, and the view was shared at the third Consultation that the next Consultation would be held in the latter half of this year.

Although this is the view that was shared, no specific schedule has been decided yet. And in the Consultation, the views and position of the Government of Japan that you referred to will not change in any way.

In regard to China’s unilateral development in the East China Sea, in each case the Government of Japan has been making demarches for the development to cease. Furthermore, there is the agreement reached in June 2008. Japan’s position is that negotiations on promptly implementing this agreement should be reopened, and Japan will continue to call for that. At the present point in time the schedule is undecided, so I intend to look forward to a consultation based on the firm recognition that the Government of Japan’s fundamental stance will not change.

Fujita, Fuji TV: Conceivably a Japan-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and a Japan-China Summit Meeting will also take place on the occasion of the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit Meeting, I think, but is this issue likely to be raised at those meetings also?

Minister Kishida: No, at present nothing specific has been decided yet in regard to an overall schedule, including for the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit Meeting or other bilateral meetings. The current situation is that nothing has been decided with regards to the bilateral meetings. We are continuing to coordinate the schedule, so I would like to refrain from commenting on specific details at the present point in time.

Fujita, Fuji TV: Some reports have stated that the Japan-China-ROK Summit was originally going to be held regularly every year on a rotating basis, and that the meetings will return to that track. Will the meetings be held regularly again?

Minister Kishida: It has been three and a half years since the last Japan-China-ROK Summit, I believe. We are now coordinating toward holding it again for the first time in three and a half years. In regard to the content, at the present point in time I have to refrain from stating anything as a definite thing. We will continue to coordinate the content alongside the schedule, I believe.

Fujita, Fuji TV: If possible, do you intend to make the meetings a regular event?

Minister Kishida: Coordination will take place, including regarding the content such as that.

Fujita, Fuji TV: This question concerns the abductions issue. Yesterday, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister, visited Mongolia, and he once again sought cooperation on the abductions issue. Where Japan’s system is concerned, a new Minister in Charge of the Abduction Issue has been appointed and Japan will approach the issue with a new system, but in some ways the relationship between Japan and North Korea are currently deadlocked. Is there some new measure, or some opportunity to bring about change or to work on?

Minister Kishida: I understand that at the Japan-Mongolia Summit Meeting, in regard to North Korea Japan expressed appreciation for the Mongolian side’s understanding and cooperation thus far on the abductions issue alongside the nuclear and missile issues, and asked that the cooperation continues. Where North Korea’s response is concerned, we have yet to receive a response from the North Korean side following the exchange at the Japan-North Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August. However, there is no change to Japan’s policy of seeking the return of all the abduction victims via the investigation. We will continue to seek a constructive response from the North Korean side.

Odanaka, Mainichi Shimbun: My question concerns the wartime comfort women issue. Mr. Takeo Kawamura, Former Chief Cabinet Secretary, is visiting Seoul and said that recently, he (Kawamura) recommended to the Prime Minister that the follow up program for the Asian Women’s Fund regarding wartime comfort women should be considered. Can you explain whether the government is considering any response to that in regards to this matter at this moment?

Minister Kishida: I am aware of the reporting of the comments by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura that you referred to. But I don’t know precisely how it was said. Whatever the case, my understanding is that the comments were the individual opinion of former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura. The Government of Japan’s position on the wartime comfort women issue is the same as it has repeatedly explained up to the present time.

Odanaka, Mainichi Shimbun: I assume that in the case of the Japan-China-ROK Summit Meeting, coordination is being made toward realizing a Japan-ROK Summit Meeting. Are there any new proposals toward this?

Minister Kishida: As I previously stated, the Japan-China-ROK Summit Meeting as well as bilateral meetings to be held in conjunction with it are currently being coordinated, but as yet nothing has been decided. I believe such coordination is continuing to be made, so at the current time I must refrain from making any specific statements, such as discussing on such contents.

Abe, Asahi Shimbun: Concerning China’s ocean development, there are reports that the Obama administration will be dispatching a naval vessel to the artificial island built by China at the Spratly Islands. What is your view on this?

Minister Kishida: This is a response of the United States and a development in the South China Sea, so this development will be a movement by a third party country, therefore Japan is not in a position to make any specific comments. But whatever the situation, Japan considers the rule of law and freedom of navigation to be important challenges and together with the international community, we will continue to pay attention to developments.

Ishigaki Jiji Press: Minister, do you have an intention to make coordination with Mr. Yun Byung-se, ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs for yourself?

Minister Kishida: Coordination?

Ishigaki Jiji Press: You said that coordination is being made with regards to the Japan-China-ROK Summit Meeting, so I mean the coordination toward a meeting between yourself and Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se for a Japan-ROK Summit Meeting.

Minister Kishida: Nothing has been decided at the moment. Fundamentally, we absolutely hope the Japan-China-ROK Summit Meeting will be held, but as yet the details have not been confirmed, such as who will accompany the Prime Minister, so I must refrain from commenting on a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at this time.

Shinogase, Tokyo Shimbun: Regarding the comfort women issue, the Dong-a Ilbo (a ROK newspaper) reported that the Government of Japan is considering a fund of 300 million yen. So not limited to Japan, China, and the ROK, or bilateral matters such as between Japan and the ROK, if it is being considered, could you please tell us about what sort of policy that the Government of Japan is currently deciding upon for the new fund or for the resolution of the situation?

Minister Kishida: I am not aware of the report that you referred to, nor am I in a position to comment upon the reporting of each and every news organization of other countries. Japan’s position on the comfort women issue is the same as has been explained in the past and I think that we will continue to hold dialogues on a variety of challenges.