Press Conferences

Kyodo News, Hayashi: I would like to ask about North Korea’s launch of a satellite using missile technology last night. This launch took place ahead of the time in the prior notification. Please tell us what is the Government’s reaction to the situation and what is the analysis on North Korea’s intentions and so forth. Those are the two points I would like to ask about.

Ms. KOBAYASHI Maki, Press Secretary: We constantly strive to gather and analyze information with serious concern with regard to North Korea’s moves, including its military developments. I would like to refrain from commenting assertively as to North Korea’s intentions behind conducting the launch earlier than the period in the prior notifications.

In any case, North Korea’s repeated launches of ballistic missiles and others are absolutely unacceptable. The Government of Japan intends to advance the complete implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and aims for the complete denuclearization of North Korea while closely coordinating between Japan-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-the Republic of Korea (ROK) and collaborating with the international community.

Mainichi Shimbun, Murao: I have a related question on North Korea. North Korea has violated UNSC resolutions, so I would like to ask you what diplomatic initiatives the Government will take in the international arena, including at the UN.

Press Secretary Kobayashi: Firstly, we have regularly been in close communication with the U.S. and the ROK on our response to North Korea. In response to its launch using ballistic missile technology for the purpose of the satellite launch on November 21, today, Director-General Namazu of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a Japan-U.S.-ROK telephone talk with Acting U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Jung Pak and ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn.

During the telephone talk, the three sides strongly condemned North Korea’s launch on November 21, and they once again shared the view that ballistic missile launches by North Korea, which are in an unprecedented frequency and in new manners, constitute a grave and imminent threat to the regional security and pose a clear and serious challenge to the international community. They also affirmed that Japan, the U.S., and the ROK will continue to work closely together bilaterally and trilaterally in dealing with North Korea, including their responses at the UNSC.

We have been communicating closely with the U.S. and the ROK on these and other issues, but I would like to refrain from prejudging at this time on future diplomatic initiatives.

Japan intends to continuously advance the complete implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions and aims for the complete denuclearization of North Korea, while closely coordinating between Japan-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-ROK, as well as collaborating with the international community.

Chugoku Shimbun, Higuchi: I would like to ask about the Government’s stance on the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW, which will begin on November 27 in the U.S. I have received information that the Government of Japan will not participate in the meeting, even as an observer, in the same way as the first meeting. Please tell us the Government’s stance on this meeting.

Press Secretary Kobayashi: The TPNW is an important treaty that can be seen as a way toward “a world without nuclear weapons,” but none of the nuclear-weapon states have participated in the treaty, so there is no roadmap to that “exit” in the current situation.

Under these circumstances, we believe that Japan, as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, must make efforts to involve nuclear-weapon states.

Since such Japan’s stance remains the same, the Government of Japan will not participate as an observer at the Meeting of States Parties to be held in New York. Japan intends to continue and enhance realistic and practical measures by implementing each of the initiatives under the “Hiroshima Action Plan,” which was proposed by Prime Minister Kishida last August at the NPT Review Conference, while positioning the G7 Leaders’ Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament, which was issued at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May, as a solid stepping stone.

Chugoku Shimbun, Higuchi: I would like to confirm the reasons. Is the biggest one that none of the nuclear-weapon states have joined the treaty? Meanwhile, countries that depend on U.S. nuclear deterrence, such as Germany, Australia, and Norway, are expected to join this meeting as observers. Some atomic bomb survivors have said that Japan should at least join as an observer and listen to what non-nuclear-weapon states have to say. What is the Government’s response to this?

Press Secretary Kobayashi: Firstly, I would like to refrain from commenting on other countries’ approach. As for the Government of Japan’s position on joining the Meeting of States Parties as an observer, as I mentioned earlier, the TPNW is an important treaty, but there is no roadmap toward an exit to “a world without nuclear weapons” without the participation of any nuclear-weapon states. In this situation, as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan will make efforts to involve nuclear-weapon states, and it is from this perspective that Japan has decided not to participate as an observer at the meeting.

Yomiuri Shimbun, Tanikawa: The ministers of G7 and other like-minded countries held an online meeting on energy support for Ukraine. Please share with us what were the objectives of this meeting and what Japan proposed as new support measures there.

In addition, it seems that State Minister for Foreign Affairs Horii attended the meeting. Why did Foreign Minister Kamikawa not attend?

Press Secretary Kobayashi: Yesterday, as you mentioned, the G7+ Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Ukraine Energy Sector Support was held, which was a ministerial-level meeting among G7 members, as well as like-minded European countries and international organizations. This framework was established in November last year under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, for the purpose of information-sharing among the countries concerned, as well as prompt assistance, regarding energy and infrastructure-related assistance for winterization in Ukraine.

This time, Japan, as the G7 Presidency, co-chaired this meeting with the United States. The meeting was intended to confirm and share an understanding of the importance of support for the energy sector among the like-minded countries before winter sets in, amid expectations of Russia’s attack on energy infrastructure, as occurred last year. Since Minister Kamikawa was unable to attend due to her schedule, State Minister Horii attended on her behalf.

State Minister Horii explained that, in addition to the autotransformers announced thus far, Japan’s support measures will include the provision of new gas turbines. In addition, he shared with the other countries the steady progress being made in providing living infrastructure assistance, including electric power and heating, and expressed a commitment to deepen the joint assistance of the public and private sectors in preparation for the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Reconstruction to be held in February. More than 5.5 million Ukrainian citizens are expected to benefit from the ongoing assistance.

Kyodo News, Hayashi: I would like to ask about the situation in the Middle East. It was announced that Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas have agreed to a four-day pause in the fighting in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of approximately 50 hostages. The Government of Japan has consistently called for humanitarian pauses. What is the Government’s reaction to this latest development?

Press Secretary Kobayashi: Firstly, we are aware that according to the announcement by the Government of Qatar on November 22 (Japan time), Israel and Hamas have agreed to a four-day pause in the fighting, the release of at least 50 hostages, the release of Palestinians held by Israel, and increased delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Japan welcomes this important move toward the release of the hostages and an improvement in the humanitarian situation. We also pay respect to the efforts made by the countries concerned. We expect that the agreement will be implemented steadily.

In light of the UNSC resolution, for which Japan cast a favorable vote, Japan will continue to urge all parties to adhere to international law, including international humanitarian law, and actively continue our diplomatic efforts toward the immediate release of the hostages, the improvement of the humanitarian situation, and calming down the situation, in communication with relevant countries and international organizations.