Press Conferences

Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu: First, I would like to make one announcement.

I will be visiting Niagara, Ontario to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which will be hosted by Canada from November 11 to November 12, next week.

This will be my first G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in four and a half years. During that time, the world has undergone significant changes, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. In the face of the current severe international situation, I believe it is incumbent on the G7 to unite and maintain close communication in addressing the challenges confronting the international community.

During the two-day meeting, I will engage in candid exchanges of views and align our recognition with the G7 foreign ministers regarding the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as on the situation in the Indo-Pacific, which Japan attaches importance to, and the challenges facing the international community. I will also hold bilateral meetings on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and hope to deepen relationships of trust with my counterparts.

Last evening, I held a telephone meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, the G7 presidency, and stated that I look forward to meeting with her. That concludes my opening remarks.

Yomiuri Shimbun, UEMURA: Director General Mao Ning of the Department of Press, Communication and Public Diplomacy of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a press conference on November 6, at which she voiced opposition to the Government of Japan’s decision to confer the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on Mr. Hsieh Chang-ting, former Chairperson of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office of Taiwan. Mr. Hsieh was awarded the decoration for his “contributions to promoting friendship, goodwill, and mutual understanding between Japan and Taiwan” during his eight years of service as Chairperson. Please share with us your thoughts on China’s opposition to this conferment. Thank you.

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: I understand that, as you just mentioned, the decoration was conferred on Mr. Hsieh Chang-ting in recognition of his contributions over eight years as Chairperson to promoting friendship, goodwill, and mutual understanding between Japan and Taiwan.

There have been a number of similar cases in the past.

That being said, Japan’s basic position on the China-Taiwan relationship remains as articulated in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique, and there is no change in this position.

Kyodo News, ONDA: I would like to ask about China’s visa policy. The Government of China announced a one-year extension of its visa exemption measure for short-term stays by Japanese citizens. Could you please share your thoughts on this? Additionally, the Government of Japan’s new visa measure and some visa relaxation measures for Chinese tourists have yet to be implemented a year after they were announced last December. If there is any timeline for their implementation, could you please let us know? Thank you.

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: We are aware of the announcement by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 3 that its visa exemption measure for short-term stays in China will be extended until the end of next year for quite a number of countries, including Japan.

We expect that the announced extension of the visa exemption measure will contribute to promoting exchanges between Japan and China.

As for the timeline for implementing Japan’s visa relaxation measures for short-term stays by Chinese tourists, we are currently conducting a careful review of this while assessing various situations.

Asahi Shimbun, MIYAWAKI: The Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency reported today that the Chinese military’s third aircraft carrier, Fujian, has entered service. This could further intensify China’s military activities in the East China Sea and other areas. What impact do you foresee this commissioning will have on diplomacy?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: I understand that, according to China’s announcement, the Chinese military’s aircraft carrier Fujian entered service in Hainan Province facing the South China Sea on November 5.

China has been increasing its defense expenditures at a continuously high level and extensively and rapidly enhancing its miliary power without sufficient transparency. The Government of Japan has consistently paid close attention to the miliary developments surrounding Japan, including the commissioning of the Fujian aircraft carrier, with serious concern, and will continue to respond in a calm and resolute manner.

Yomiuri Shimbun, UEMURA: I would like to ask about the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting you mentioned at the outset. Since its inception, the significance of the G7 has continually come under question due to the rise of emerging economies, among others. In this era marked by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, closer ties among China, Russia, and North Korea, and the growing influence of the Global South, what significance or meaning do you think the G7’s unity holds for the international community? Furthermore, what role do you perceive you yourself can play in uniting the G7?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: The situation is extremely severe across the world, including in Ukraine and the Middle East. We are also witnessing growing divisions and the rise of emerging economies. Under these circumstances, I believe it is extremely important that the G7 countries with shared values and principles unite in working closely together toward the common goal of achieving a free and open international order and addressing the challenges facing the international community.

I intend to reaffirm this recognition with my G7 counterparts, with a particular focus on incorporating the Indo-Pacific perspective into the G7’s discussions and advancing concrete cooperation.

Kyodo News, SAKAGUCHI: In your opening remarks about the G7, you mentioned various topics, such as the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. The issue of critical minerals, including rare earths, has also recently drawn attention. I believe maritime security is another area of interest to Canada. Could you tell us if there will be any discussions on economic and maritime security, and if so, what kind of discussions do you hope to have?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: The meeting is broadly divided into four sessions, beginning with a working dinner, followed by discussions on the second day. I understand that discussions will cover the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific and other regional issues, maritime security, as well as other challenges such as energy security and critical minerals.