Press Conferences

Asahi Shimbun, Aibara: There are some reports indicating that President Biden of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China will hold an online meeting. Although there has not been any official announcement yet, please tell us your reaction to the recent developments in U.S.-China relations, including the recent communication between National Security Advisor Sullivan and Member of the Central Politburo of the Communist Party of China Yang Jiechi.

Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs: I am aware that during the meeting the day before yesterday in Zurich between National Security Advisor Sullivan and Member of the Central Politburo of the Communist Party of China Yang Jiechi, they agreed in principle that a U.S.-China Summit Meeting would be held virtually by the end of this year.

I believe that the stability of U.S.-China relations is extremely important for the international community. Secretary of State Blinken called me for a telephone talk yesterday on my birthday and congratulated me for again assuming my position of Minister for Foreign Affairs. During the telephone talk, we exchanged views on issues including China and confirmed that Japan and the United States will closely cooperate.

Under our strong relationship of mutual trust with our ally the United States, Japan will continue to advance various forms of cooperation and urge China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major power.

Pan Orient News, Azhari: The United States State Department on Tuesday, disclosed the number of nuclear weapons in the U.S. stockpile and it said this will help global efforts to control the spread of such weapons. I’m wondering if you have any comment on this and if you would like other nuclear states such as China, Russia, UK, France, Israel and Pakistan and India to do the same step and this might be a good chance for Prime Minister Kishida who pledged to lead this kind of movement.

Minister Motegi: I believe that increasing transparency of nuclear strategy is an important foundation for advancing international initiatives toward realizing a world without nuclear weapons. Japan welcomes the United States’ announcement on its number of nuclear warheads and their initiatives to increase transparency. We urge other countries, including nuclear powers, to also undertake similar initiatives.