Press Conferences

Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Today marks exactly one month since I assumed the office of Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In the meantime, there was also the general election of the House of Representatives. Japan, now facing the most severe security environment since the end of World War II, cannot put a stop to diplomacy.

Yesterday, in response to the ballistic missile with the range of an ICBM launch by North Korea, I held the meeting of four ministers of the National Security Council. In addition, I held the Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Talks with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul of the ROK.

We exchanged views on and strongly condemned deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and continued arms transfers.

Working to preserve peace in Japan and maintain stability in East Asia is also critical for peace and stability of the entire world. With the Japan-U.S. Alliance as the cornerstone, Japan will continue to work more closely with the ROK bilaterally and with the U.S. and the ROK trilaterally to deal with the situation.

That is all from me at the outset.

Kyodo News, Nishiyama: I would like to ask about the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. I believe high-level discussions directly between the ROK and Ukraine have taken place on this matter, including telephone talks on October 29 between President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and President Yoon of the ROK. Does Japan also have plans to hold direct high-level discussions with Ukraine? Please share with us Japan’s intentions.

Minister Iwaya: We are aware that, as you just noted, President Yoon and President Zelenskyy held summit telephone talks on October 29 regarding the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.

We are seriously concerned about the recent moves to advance Russia-North Korea military cooperation which not only leads to further deterioration of the situation in Ukraine, including the possibility of the North Korean troops deployed to Russia becoming complicit in its aggression against Ukraine, but also affects the security of Asia surrounding Japan. In this regard, Japan is working closely with both the U.S. and the ROK and intends to further enhance our coordination.

On your question about Japan and Ukraine, the two countries are constantly in communication at various levels. Japan hopes to hold high-level communication at an appropriate time and further strengthen its coordination with Ukraine.

Yomiuri Shimbun, Kamimura: I would like to ask about the United Nations (UN) recommendation on the Imperial House Law. I have a number of questions I would like to ask at once.

On October 29, UN CEDAW recommended that Japan amend its Imperial House Law, which stipulates allowing only male offspring in the male line to succeed to the throne. First of all, could you share your thoughts on the matter once again? I know that Japan has lodged a protest and requested the deletion of this recommendation. Please update us on what has happened since then.

I would also like to ask when and at what level this protest was lodged.

In addition, I understand that a similar recommendation had been made in the past. At that time, Japan requested its deletion during the drafting phase, and it was not included in the concluding observations. Could you tell us whether Japan made such a request this time around?

Minister Iwaya: Regarding to your question on the succession to the throne referred to in CEDAW’s review of Japan, as the Chief Cabinet Secretary responded the other day, we explained at the Committee’s meeting on October 17 to the effect that “The system of succession to the throne in Japan is a matter related to the foundation of a State. Considering the purport of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which aims to eliminate discrimination against women, it is not appropriate for the Committee to raise this issue in relation to the Imperial House Law.”

Following the meeting, Japan conveyed its strong regret to the Committee, along with Japan’s position that, as eligibility for succession to the throne is not included in fundamental human rights, the Imperial House Law’s limitation of eligibility to male offspring in the male line does not constitute “discrimination against women” under Article 1 of the Convention.

It is very regrettable that, despite this, references to the succession to the throne were included in the concluding observations.

In response to their publication, Japan lodged a strong protest with the Committee and requested the deletion of the recommendation. The protest was lodged with the Committee by the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva on the day the concluding observations were published.

There was also a question about the past. In the previous CEDAW review in 2016, although the Imperial House Law was not raised at all through the end of the review, a recommendation to amend the Imperial House Law was included in the draft concluding observations. At the request of Japan, the recommendation was deleted on the grounds of procedural flaws.

In any case, it is very regrettable that the Imperial House Law was raised in the latest review and references to Japan’s Imperial House Law were included in the concluding observations.

Regarding to Japan’s position that the system of succession to the throne in Japan is a matter related to the foundation of a State, and that considering the purport of the Convention, which aims to eliminate discrimination against women, it is not appropriate for the Committee to raise this issue in relation to the Imperial House Law, and we lodged a protest once again with the Committee and requested the deletion of the recommendation.

Pan Orient News, Azhari: Khaldon AZHARI, Pan Orient News:

It's becoming increasingly clear that the current strategy of condemnation rhetoric and posing sanctions against North Korea is ineffective, if not useless, as our demonstrated by the recent missile launch and other launch that highly proves sophisticated missiles that proved the continued advancement of North Korean military technology.

A new approach instead of the confrontation Japan and its allies are taking seems to be urgently needed to save the region from a nuclear war.

Does Prime Minister Ishiba's proposed East Asian Security strategy call for a diplomatic approach or an arms race with confrontation in the region to settle the problem between these countries? The urgent need for a diplomatic solution cannot be overstated.

Minister Iwaya: Yesterday’s ICBM launch and similar nuclear and missile development by North Korea violate UN Security Council Resolutions and threaten not only the security of Japan but also the peace and security of the entire region and the international community.

I believe you suggested that Japan should amend its diplomatic stance. In accordance with our National Security Strategy, Japan’s basic approach is to achieve peace through diplomatic efforts while fundamentally reinforcing its defense capabilities.

In the National Security Strategy, diplomatic capabilities is listed first among the elements of comprehensive national power for Japan’s national security . First and foremost, through diplomacy, we must prevent crises in advance and proactively create a peaceful and stable international environment.

On this basis, Japan’s basic policy toward North Korea is to normalize relations with North Korea, in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, through comprehensively resolving the outstanding issues of concern, such as the abductions, nuclear and missile issues, as well as settlement of the unfortunate past. There is no change at all to this approach.

Accordingly, Japan has remained open to dialogue.

Japan, in close coordination and cooperation with the international community, including the U.S. and the ROK, will continue to conduct diplomacy to fully implement UN Security Council Resolutions and call for the complete dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and ultimately, as I just mentioned, will realize the normalization of relations in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration.