Press Conferences

Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs: I have two announcements at the outset.

The first is about the attendance at the Solemn Ceremony of the Inauguration of the Pontificate for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV by Ambassador on Special Mission ASO.

At the Cabinet meeting today, it was decided that former Prime Minister ASO Taro will be dispatched as Ambassador on Special Mission to attend the Solemn Ceremony of the Inauguration of the Pontificate for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, which will be held in Vatican City on May 18 local time.

Through the dispatch of Ambassador on Special Mission Aso, I expect that the highly friendly and cooperative relationship between Japan and the Vatican will deepen even further.

Minister Iwaya: Next is about my visit to the Diplomatic Archives.

Today, I visited the Diplomatic Archives, which preserves and displays Japan’s important diplomatic documents since the end of the Edo period, including the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

The Exhibition Room of the Diplomatic Archives was previously located adjacent to Iikura Guest House, but last April, it was renovated and reopened on the 5th floor of Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, making it more accessible to visitors.

In addition to the Permanent Exhibition, the Exhibition Room currently has a special exhibition on Yoshida Shigeru, which will be held until the end of this month. It had a lot of informative panels and videos, and I believe the exhibition will help to deepen one’s understanding of Japanese diplomacy. I encourage everyone to make a visit.

That is all from me at the outset.

Nikkei Shimbun, Baba: I would like to ask about the situation surrounding India and Pakistan. The armed clashes over the Kashmir region have subsided into a ceasefire. May I ask what you make of the current situation? In addition, you held telephone talks with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan. What role do you believe Japan can play moving forward?

Minister Iwaya: I am aware that India and Pakistan agreed on May 10 to cease military actions.

The Government of Japan welcomes this agreement between the two countries. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

In the process leading up to this agreement, I held telephone talks with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar of India and Foreign Minister Dar of Pakistan. We have urged both countries through all available channels to act responsibly.

The Government of Japan views that it remains important for both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and work toward stabilizing the situation through dialogue for the peace and stability in South Asia. Building on our traditionally friendly relationships with both countries, Japan intends to actively fulfill its role.

Yomiuri Shimbun, Kamimura: I would like to ask about the development of gas fields in the East China Sea. On May 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Japan confirmed that the Chinese side has initiated an installation of a new structure. First of all, please share your thoughts on this and how the Government has responded since then. There has been no improvement on this issue for many years, and China’s unilateral development continues even now. How will the Government be protecting Japan’s interests going forward? Does the Government have no plans to change its approach toward China? Please also explain how Japan will be addressing this issue.

Minister Iwaya: We have recently confirmed that China has initiated an installation of a new structure on the west side of the geographical equidistance line between Japan and China in the East China Sea.

It is extremely regrettable that China is advancing unilateral development in the East China Sea, while the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf in the East China Sea have not yet been delimited. We immediately issued a strong protest.

China has accelerated its development activities of natural resources in the East China Sea. In response, the Government of Japan has repeatedly lodged protests, urging China to stop both its unilateral development and attempts to render it a faits accompli. During my meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi last December, I myself expressed Japan’s serious concerns about China’s unilateral development of natural resources and urged China to address it.

In the “June 2008 Agreement” between President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Fukuda, in which Japan and China agreed to cooperate on the development of natural resources in the East China Sea, the two leaders concurred to promote and implement this agreement to realize the goal of making the East China Sea a “Sea of Peace, Cooperation and Friendship.” As such, Japan will urge China to stop both its unilateral development and attempts to render it a fait accompli. Furthermore, Japan will continue to strongly urge China for an early resumption of the negotiations on concluding an international arrangement under the June 2008 Agreement and implement it as soon as possible.

Pan Orient News, Azhari: President Trump announced the density of sanctions in Syria about three days ago and it was while visiting Saudi Arabia. Will Japan follow this global sift in policy of lifting the sanctions on Syria and if not what is behind your decision?

Minister Iwaya: I am aware of the remarks by President Trump you are referring to.

Japan commends the Syrian Care-taker Government for engaging in dialogue toward a comprehensive political settlement and national reconciliation, and for demonstrating a continued commitment to achieving a peaceful and stable transition.

It is desirable that a better situation is created for the Syrian people. From this perspective, Japan will make an appropriate decision on sanctions, including potentially lifting them, while closely monitoring discussions within the international community, including discussions at the sanctions committee of the United Nations Security Council.