Press Conferences

Foreign Press Secretary KITAMURA Toshihiro: I have an announcement at the outset regarding the diplomatic schedule, namely, the diplomatic events that took place this week and future schedules.

First, yesterday, on Tuesday September 9, Prime Minister ISHIBA held a meeting with the President of Slovakia. On Monday, September 8, Foreign Minister IWAYA held a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama. In addition, on September 9, Foreign Minister IWAYA signed the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Strategic Dialogue of Foreign Ministers with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, and based on this Declaration, held the first Japan-Bahrain Strategic Dialogue.

As for the upcoming schedule, the Prime Minister of Portugal is visiting Japan from today, and a Summit Meeting with Prime Minister ISHIBA is scheduled to be held during his visit. In addition, from September 14, the President of Serbia will visit Japan and make a State Call on His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. A meeting with Prime Minister ISHIBA is also scheduled to take place.

Furthermore, as mentioned at the press conference yesterday, we are making arrangement for Foreign Minister IWAYA to attend the High-level Week of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly if circumstances permit. I understand that coordination is also underway for Prime Minister ISHIBA to visit New York if various circumstances permit.

Taking advantage of the opportunities of these series of diplomatic events, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will engage in close communication and strengthen cooperation on urgent international and regional issues and strive to contribute to strengthening bilateral relations.

Kyodo News, KOCHI: I would like to ask one question regarding the protection of Japanese nationals. In Nepal, some participants in protests against the government’s practice and the ban on social media platforms have turned violent, leading to a situation where the military has announced that it will step in to maintain security. The situation has developed to the point where the Prime Minister has resigned. Please tell us about how the Government of Japan has been responding to protect Japanese nationals, including whether there has been any harm to Japanese nationals in Nepal.

Press Secretary KITAMURA: I would like to briefly touch upon the situation in Nepal you asked about. On September 8, large-scale protest activities led mainly by young people occurred in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and in major cities, in protest against the Nepalese government’s ban on major social media platforms and allegations of corruption. We are aware that clashes with security forces have resulted in deaths and numerous injuries.

Furthermore, as you have pointed out, we understand that the curfew imposed by the Nepali Army, as well as the closure of Tribhuvan International Airport located in Kathmandu and Pokhara Airport continue as of 2:00 p.m. Japan time today.

In response to this situation, as you mentioned in your question, we understand that Prime Minister Oli announced his resignation yesterday, on September 9.

Regarding the protection of Japanese nationals, currently there are 443 Japanese nationals who have submitted Overseas Residential Registration in Nepal, but we have not received information about any harm to the lives or health of Japanese nationals so far. We have also confirmed the safety of travelers and others, and MOFA and the Embassy of Japan in Nepal continue to follow up on the situation. MOFA and the Embassy of Japan in Nepal have been providing timely alerts to Japanese nationals and have been responding to their inquiries, including temporary stays at the Embassy for those who have no place to evacuate. We intend to continue to collect information and make every effort to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals.