Press Conference by Prime Minister Ishiba regarding the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, the Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea Summit Meeting, the Japan-China Summit Meeting, and Other Matters

[Provisional translation]

(Regarding the series of bilateral meetings, how Prime Minister Ishiba will continue deepening the Japan-U.S. Alliance and Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) trilateral cooperation with President-elect Trump; also what was discussed during the Japan-China summit meeting, and how Prime Minister Ishiba plans to resolve the various issues and concerns that exist between Japan and China)

This was my first time to have a summit meeting with President Biden face to face. We were in full agreement on continuing to develop the unwavering Japan-U.S. alliance further into the future and on acting in even closer cooperation.

After that, President Yoon Suk Yeol joined us and we held a Japan-U.S.-ROK trilateral summit meeting. During that meeting, mindful of the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, we confirmed the importance of our three countries acting in even closer cooperation in our responses to North Korea. Also, we continued to be of the same mind on continuing and strengthening our strategic collaboration globally across a wide range of fields. 

With President-elect Trump as well, I intend to work to raise the Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights and strengthen strategic collaboration among Japan, the U.S., and the ROK. That is my overview of the Japan-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-ROK summit meetings.

I also held a face-to-face meeting with President Xi Jinping for the first time. We confirmed that Japan and China share a broad direction of comprehensively promoting a “Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests” and building “constructive and stable Japan-China relations.” We reaffirmed that both sides will continue to steadily implement the announcements made in September regarding the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the sea and China’s import restrictions on Japanese aquatic products.

I regard it as highly significant that President Xi himself spoke about implementing the announcement stipulating the restoration of imports of Japanese aquatic products. President Xi also mentioned from his side the resumption of Japanese beef exports and the expansion of exports of Japanese polished rice to China. Moreover, during our meeting, I expressed Japan’s serious concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and the intensification of activities by the Chinese People's Liberation Army. I raised the incident in which a Japanese School student in Shenzhen was killed and requested that the Chinese government ensure the safety of Japanese nationals residing in China. President Xi responded that China will ensure the safety of all foreign nationals in China, including Japanese citizens.

In this meeting, I believe President Xi and I had a successful exchange of views, taking a broad perspective. My impression is that we had a highly engaging exchange. It is natural that there will be various differences in the views held by Japan and China. However, even though there are differences in our views, President Xi and I were fully in concert with each other on the matter of continuing to hold meetings repeatedly over time. I myself am very much looking forward to holding such meetings recurrently as we go forward. I want us to engage in frequent communication and mutual visits at all levels, including at the summit level, and make joint efforts to reduce issues and concerns and increase cooperation and coordination.

Once again, I became sharply aware of the importance of having face-to-face talks with other national leaders. Various efforts have been evolving for quite some time at the working level and consultations are also underway. In light of that, to repeat my sentiments, I have once again come to the acute realization that it is critically important to hold talks with my counterparts at the summit level. That is all.

(Whether a specific timeframe was raised on the resumption of the import of Japanese aquatic products during the Japan-China Summit Meeting; and thoughts on future leaders level visits, including a visit to China by Prime Minister Ishiba)

As I said just now, there were announcements in September regarding the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the sea and China's import restrictions on Japanese aquatic products. President Xi and I agreed that both sides will steadily implement what is covered in the announcements. It is not the case that we reached a decision in concrete terms regarding when imports into China will resume.

As for me visiting China, I will refrain from commenting on any specifics here as well. However, as I said in the latter half of my earlier response, I myself am quite keenly aware of how exceptionally important it is for there to be mutual visits and talks at the summit level. I do expect that there will once again be some sort of opportunity like that. That is not to say that I am prepared to state any sort of timing in concrete terms

(Regarding the current state of coordinating the meeting with President-elect Trump)

No concrete decisions have been made yet.