Press Conferences

Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu: The Diet has just passed the FY2026 budget, which we intend to make full use of in pursuing diplomacy. I will now be happy to take your questions.

Kyodo News, ONDA: You held a telephone call with Foreign Minister Araghchi of Iran for the third time yesterday. What significance do you attach to being able to maintain communication with the Minister? You also held a telephone call with Pakistan, which has been making ongoing mediation efforts. Could you also share your expectations regarding the ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: Yesterday, I held my third telephone call with Minister Araghchi since the situation arose on February 28. An early de-escalation of the situation in Iran is of utmost importance. During yesterday’s call, I reiterated Japan’s position and directly urged Iran to engage sincerely with the diplomatic efforts currently underway, mediated by the relevant countries.

Prior to this call, I also held a telephone call yesterday with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar of Pakistan, which has been engaged in mediation efforts. The Deputy Prime Minister shared the current status of those efforts, and we concurred on the importance of maintaining close communication toward the early de-escalation of the situation.

Japan has consistently maintained that resolving the issue through dialogue is of utmost importance, and we expect that the talks between the U.S. and Iran will make progress.

At this stage, perhaps only a handful of countries are able to engage in candid and direct dialogues with Iran. By leveraging Japan’s longstanding relationship with Iran, where direct contacts exist, and in coordination with the international community and other partners, Japan will pursue all diplomatic efforts toward the early de-escalation of the situation.

Of course, the safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and other issues are also extremely important, and we intend to work toward the early de-escalation of the situation, including these issues.

Kyodo News, ONDA: Three years have passed since the Government established the OSA framework. I believe it has played an important role in cooperation among like-minded countries. How does the Government intend to utilize OSA going forward?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: We launched OSA as a grant aid cooperation framework aimed at deepening Japan’s security cooperation with like-minded countries and creating a desirable security environment for Japan, by contributing to the enhancement of partner countries’ security capabilities through the provision of equipment and supplies, as well as assistance for infrastructure development.

Over the three years since the establishment of OSA in 2023, Japan has approved and implemented 16 projects for 11 countries. These projects have primarily focused on providing equipment and supplies for maritime monitoring and surveillance, which I believe have been highly appreciated by recipient countries.

This fiscal year, we allocated a record-high 18.1 billion yen for OSA in the government budget. I believe the importance of OSA is becoming increasingly significant amid an increasingly severe international situation. With a focus on the Indo-Pacific region, Japan will continue to further expand the number of eligible recipient countries in order to broaden the base of cooperation of like-minded countries, while pursing more sophisticated and larger-scale projects. Through these efforts, Japan will further contribute to regional stability and to the creation of a desirable security environment.

Chugoku Shimbun, KOBAYASHI: According to some reports, the Prime Minister will not attend the NPT Review Conference and will instead send the State Minister for Foreign Affairs. I would like to confirm who will attend the conference from the Government of Japan and deliver an address. In addition, could you explain the Government’s stance on the NPT Review Conference?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: At this stage, nothing has been decided regarding the Government of Japan’s arrangements for the NPT Review Conference.

In any case, as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan intends to continue advancing realistic and practical efforts to maintain and strengthen the NPT regime, in close coordination with the international community, and to play an active role at the NPT Review Conference toward achieving a world without nuclear weapons.