Press Conferences

Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu: First, I have an announcement regarding my overseas visit. I will visit India from May 25, next week, and attend a Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting hosted by India in Delhi on May 26.

I attended the first Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in September 2019, and next week’s meeting will be my fourth attendance since the telephone meeting in February 2021, approximately five years ago.

The Quad is a partnership framework among four countries sharing fundamental values to promote practical cooperation in various fields toward the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).”

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, we intend to engage in strategic and frank exchanges of views on international issues amid the structural change in the international order. We intend to reaffirm our commitment to the realization of FOIP and exchange candid views on possible concrete cooperation going forward.

On this occasion, I also intend to hold separate bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of each country and further deepen our discussions.

That concludes my opening remarks.

Asahi Shimbun, MIYAWAKI: I would like to ask about the Quad that you mentioned in your opening remarks. A Leaders’ Meeting was not convened last year, partly due to the deterioration in U.S.-India relations. Given these circumstances, how do you view the significance of holding this Foreign Ministers’ Meeting?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: Amid the structural change in the international order, I believe the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will serve as a good opportunity for the four countries to share their recognition of current international issues and discuss possible concrete cooperation toward the realization of FOIP.

Building on the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting last July, where the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to promote priority areas of Quad cooperation such as maritime security and economic security, I expect discussions to take place on a wide range of areas, including these issues.

Sankei Shimbun, NAGAHARA: I have a follow-up question. It is about the Leaders’ Meeting that has not been held for two years. I believe Japan has established friendly relations with each of the U.S., Australia, and India. I would like to ask, at the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, whether you intend to urge other Ministers to seek to hold a Leaders’ Meeting at an early date.

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: First of all, the importance of strengthening the network of like-minded countries in the region, such as the Quad, has been repeatedly confirmed at both the leaders’ and foreign ministerial levels, including between Japan and the U.S. Taking this into consideration, we intend to communicate closely with each other at the upcoming Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, with a view to a potential Leaders’ Meeting.

Mainichi Shimbun, TADOKORO: I would like to ask about the NPT. The positions of nuclear-weapon states, including the U.S., China, and Russia, have not yet aligned at this stage. Coupled with the divisions among states over the Iran issue, the adoption of a final outcome document now appears to be at risk. I believe Japan has played a significant role in the NPT process. Yet, if we fail to adopt a document, as was the case at the previous two review conferences, the NPT’s influence may wane. How do you view the difficulties surrounding the adoption of the document? Additionally, China delivered an address at the conference stating that the international community should resolutely prevent Japan from acquiring nuclear weapons, and Japan has objected to this. What are your thoughts on this Chinese statement?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: At the NPT Review Conference you mentioned, the final outcome document is currently being negotiated. However, to be frank, I feel that reaching consensus among all NPT States Parties remains challenging.

In advance of the conference, I issued instructions to the Japanese delegation: first, to provide maximum support to the President of the conference; second, to make every effort to build momentum toward maintaining and strengthening the NPT regime, including through multilateral groups led by Japan; and third, to deepen the international community’s understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings.

State Minister KUNIMITSU attended the opening of the conference, and Japan dispatched Parliamentary Vice-Minister ERI this week, engaging directly with the Vietnamese Presidency and delegations from various countries. In this way, the Japanese delegation has been making every possible effort, and we intend to do our utmost until the very end.

Regarding your question on the contents of China’s statement at the General Debate of the NPT Review Conference, it contained baseless claims and numerous inaccuracies, and Japan finds it totally unacceptable. Japan squarely countered China’s remarks at the NPT Review Conference. With regard to factually unfounded remarks on Japan, we intend to make our case appropriately based on the facts and respond in a calm and resolute manner.

TV Asahi, IIDA: I have a question about the protection of Japanese nationals ahead of the FIFA World Cup that will open next month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced the launch of a dedicated webpage on safety information for the World Cup. I believe this is the first time MOFA has created such a webpage. Could you tell us the purpose of its creation and share any message you may have for Japanese nationals traveling to the host cities?

Foreign Minister MOTEGI: The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place from June 11. First of all, I am looking forward to seeing the Japan National Team perform well.

The World Cup will be held across three countries for the first time in history, and many Japanese nationals are expected to watch the matches in the host cities. In light of this, in order to make safety information more accessible, we have established, for the first time, a dedicated safety measures webpage for the FIFA World Cup on MOFA’s website, as you mentioned.

In addition, the Embassy of Japan in Mexico and the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston have established dedicated websites, and they issued region-wide safety information today, May 22.

I would like to encourage anyone planning to watch the matches in the host cities to make use of these dedicated websites and other resources to access information so that they can enjoy the matches safely and with peace of mind. I would also like to ask them to register with our overseas travel registration service (Tabi-Regi) to ensure their safe and secure travel overseas.