Japan-Mongolia Summit Meeting Outline

July 10, 1999
Asian Affairs Bureau

A summit meeting was held between Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Prime Minister Janlavin Narantsatsralt for approximately one hour from 3:20 P.M. (4:20 P.M. JST) on July 10. The meeting, the content of which is outlined below, was also attended by Japanese officials including Minister for Home Affairs Takeshi Noda, Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Muneo Suzuki, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Seiko Noda, and Ambassador to Mongolia Shinji Kubota; Mongolian attendees included Minister for External Relations Nyamosorin Tuya, Minister for Finance Yansanjavin Ochirsukh, Minister for Infrastructure Development Gavaagin Batkhuu, and Ambassador to Japan Sodovjamtsin Khurelbaatar. The summit meeting was conducted in a most friendly atmosphere, and Prime Minister Obuchi remarked that he had never seen a summit proceed so smoothly as this one did.

1. Overview of Japan-Mongolia relations

Opening the meeting, Prime Minister Narantsatsralt extended his greetings to Prime Minister Obuchi, stating that his visit was symbolic of the expansion of the "comprehensive partnership" between Japan and Mongolia in a range of areas, the advance of friendly and cooperative relations between the nations, and Japan's support for Mongolia since its democratization and move to a market economy, which would continue into the twenty-first century. In response, Prime Minister Obuchi expressed his desire to contribute to a strong foundation for Mongolia's move to democracy and a market economy, bringing the message that Japan would make more efforts to promote the building of the comprehensive partnership between the two nations into the coming century and that it would continue to support Mongolia's reform efforts in the future. Prime Minister Obuchi also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narantsatsralt to visit Japan; the latter said he would gladly do so and would begin considering a good time to make a reciprocal visit.

2. Japanese support for Mongolia

1. Prime Minister Obuchi explained the following Japanese positions.

   (1) There would be no change in Japan's positive support for Mongolia's own self-help efforts.

   (2) Japan would extend approximately 16 billion yen in yen loans and grant aid to improve a fourth major power generation plant for the country, implement a plan for the repair of village electricity generation facilities (diesel generators), carry out other infrastructure-related work, and increase cooperation within international frameworks toward the reform of the financial sector.

   (3) Officials in charge in each country have worked together to decide on a direction for joint efforts toward the establishment of a Japan Mongolia human resources cooperation center to train the people needed to shift Mongolia to a market economy. This, the first step toward the realization of the center, is a welcome development.

   (4) Japan would consider ways to provide non-infrastructure support for Mongolia's move to a market economy through a three-year plan to promote small and mid-sized businesses and the Senior Overseas Volunteer Project. A formal document was signed on this day to enable the dispatch of senior citizen volunteers.

   (5) Japan is prepared to open negotiations toward the conclusion of an investment-protection treaty in order to promote and provide support for bilateral trade and investment. It will also provide backing for a Mongolian Fair, to be held next year or in 2001 in Japan.

   (6) The exchange of notes on the amendment of the schedule to the Japan-Mongolia Agreement for Air Services will contribute to both an increase of human exchange between the two countries and the promotion of trade and investment.

2. In response to these positions, Prime Minister Narantsatsralt expressed his gratitude to Japan for its appreciation of Mongolia's efforts to democratize and create a market economy, and stated his intention to work out a mid-range plan and make further efforts toward structural reform in Mongolia. Prime Minister Narantsatsralt also noted that there had been requests for educational loans geared toward the nurturing of small and mid-sized industries; Prime Minister Obuchi indicated his willingness to accommodate these requests if a good program could be thought out.

3. Cultural exchange

1. Prime Minister Obuchi explained the Japanese positions on the following points.

   (1) Japan feels that the promotion of a wide range of cultural exchange and cooperation should be carried out not only at the governmental level but also in concert with private-sector activities. The preservation of the spectacular cultural heritage of Mongolia is a task with significance for the entire human race. Prime Minister Obuchi proposed the creation of a Japan-Mongolia Cultural Forum taking as its themes the protection and use of these cultural assets.

   (2) It is pleasing that the program set forth in last year's joint statement, whereby 500 young Mongolians will go to Japan over a three-year period, is being implemented on schedule. It is expected that this sort of human exchange will lead to the further promotion of mutual understanding among the peoples of Japan and Mongolia.

   (3) This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Exchange of Notes for promotion of cultural exchange between Japan and Mongolia, and Japan looks forward to the success of Friendship and Culture Week, to be held beginning on July 20.

2. In response to this, Prime Minister Narantsatsralt indicated that Mongolia would do its very best with respect to cooperative efforts in the cultural field.

4. The international situation

A. The situation on the Korean Peninsula

(1) Prime Minister Narantsatsralt indicated Mongolia's readiness to urge North Korea to participate in multiple international dialogues. He also noted his nation's desire to bolster its cooperative efforts through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and its defense cooperation with Japan. In response to this, Prime Minister Obuchi said that Japan's North Korea policy would continue to focus on maintaining a balance between containment and dialogue, and that at the present time it is the issue of North Korea's missile launches that demands the most serious attention. He expressed his hope that Mongolia, which has traditional ties with North Korea, would press that nation to adopt a more forward-looking stance with respect to missile launches and other issues if the opportunity arose in diplomatic dealings between the two countries.

(2) Prime Minister Narantsatsralt responded that the continuation of the four-party talks between North Korea, the Republic of Korea, China, and the United States, the promotion of KEDO (the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization), arms control, and the prevention of nuclear proliferation are all important for the preservation of security in Northeast Asia. He indicated that Mongolia was prepared to speak to North Korea from the perspective of preventing further missile launches.

B. Reform of the United Nations Security Council

Prime Minister Obuchi stated that reform of the United Nations Security Council in a manner reflecting the reality of international society was an urgent task. As this is now a time when national leaders in each country must exercise political leadership, he hoped to forge a cooperative relationship between Japan and Mongolia toward the early realization of this reform.

Prime Minister Obuchi presented information on Japan's economic policies, the rise in its growth rate, and other factors related to the nation's economy.