Press Conferences

Mr. KITAMURA Toshihiro, Press Secretary: This is the first press conference of the year. I would like to ask for your continued kind cooperation this year.

I have two announcements at the outset.

The first is about the wildfires in California, U.S.

As the Chief Cabinet Secretary announced, Japan has decided to provide 2 million U.S. dollars of assistance through the American Red Cross, as a relief measure for the victims of the disaster.

On this occasion, we wish to express our deepest sympathies to the Government and the people of the United States over the devastating damage caused by the wildfires in California.

Japan will actively provide assistance for the relief of the victims and the earliest possible recovery of the affected areas.

Japan stands with the U.S. and its people at this difficult time.

Press Secretary Kitamura: Next is about the Japan International MANGA Award.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) established the Japan International MANGA Award in 2007, and has been awarding outstanding overseas manga works in the name of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

This year, the 18th edition of the award received a record number of 716 entries from 95 countries and regions. Entries are received every year from a wide range of regions, including Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe. This year, entries were received for the first time from seven countries: Yemen, Commonwealth of Dominica, Namibia, Barbados, Laos, Luxembourg, and Equatorial Guinea.

For the Gold Award, the selection committee chose “Mermaid in Forest” by Hiro Kawahara from Brazil, who is male and whose name is a pseudonym. The Silver Award went to three works from Thailand, Taiwan, and Chile. We plan to announce the other winning works later on the Japan International MANGA Award website.

We will invite the Gold Award winner and Silver Award winners to Japan through the Japan Foundation and hold an awards ceremony in Tokyo in March.

Needless to say, Japanese manga has become highly popular in many countries and regions around the world. We believe it provides a good opportunity for people overseas to take an interest in Japanese culture and language learning. MOFA will seek to promote manga through the Japan International MANGA Award to promote international exchanges through manga.

That is all from me.

Kyodo News, Sakaguchi: I would like to ask about the assistance for the damage of wildfires in California, U.S., which you mentioned at the outset. I believe that Japan has rarely provided assistance to the U.S. Please tell us again the reasons for deciding to provide assistance this time. In addition, please share with us other instances of such assistance previously. Those are my two questions.

Press Secretary Kitamura: In response to the damage caused by the wildfires, Japan has been closely communicating with the Government of the United States and the Government of California. Taking also into account the request from the American Red Cross, which is engaged in relief activities on the ground, we have decided to provide 2 million U.S. dollars of assistance to said organization.

Specifically, as I believe the Chief Cabinet Secretary also explained at his press conference, assistance activities in response to local needs, including the provision of safe evacuation places and food in the affected areas, and psychological support for victims, has been planned.

Additionally, regarding your question on Japan’s assistance to date, I do not have a comprehensive list at hand, but I would like to share some examples. In August 2023, wildfires occurred on Maui Island in Hawaii, U.S. At that time, we provided a total amount of 2 million U.S. dollars of assistance through the American Red Cross and Japan Platform (JPF).

Moreover, last year, April 2024, in response to the earthquake in Eastern Taiwan, Japan extended an Emergency Grant Aid of 1 million U.S. dollars through the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association.