For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 23, 2003
President Bush Meets with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi
Joint Press Availability with President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan
The Bush Ranch
Crawford, Texas
Audio
11:30 A.M. CDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: Welcome. I'm honored to welcome my very good
friend, the Prime Minister of Japan, to Crawford. He was a gracious
host when I visited Japan, and Laura and I are pleased to return the
hospitality.
We have met nine times during my presidency. I know the Prime
Minister well. I trust his judgment. I deeply respect his
leadership. Our meeting today affirms the close and unique
relationship between our two nations.
For the past half-century, America has been committed to the
security of Japan, and to the stability and prosperity of the entire
Asia Pacific region. Japan and the United States have a global
alliance, a partnership based on shared interests and a shared belief
in the cause of freedom.
The Japanese government demonstrated its commitment to peace and
freedom, along with America, that Saddam Hussein's regime live up to
its international obligations. I appreciate the Prime Minister's
strong leadership on Iraq, as well as Japan's diplomatic and financial
support for key regional states affected by the conflict.
Today Japan is committed to playing a leading role in Iraq's
long-term reconstruction. Will also provide immediate assistance for
schools, medical supplies and sanitation. Japanese forces will provide
logistical support for humanitarian and reconstruction activities. I
thank the Prime Minister for his leadership.
Around the globe, Japan and America are addressing threats to our
common security and meeting our common responsibilities. We are
partners in the war on terror. In Afghanistan, Japanese naval ships
helped refuel coalition vessels in the fight against the Taliban.
Today we're working together to complete a major highway that will help
unify Afghanistan, strengthen that country's economy, and weaken the
grip of the warlords.
Our two nations are committed to the fight against global poverty,
hunger and disease. We are committed to completing the WTO global
trade negotiations, so we can advance prosperity around the world.
The Prime Minister and I also discussed his policies for
reinvigorating the Japanese economy, including his plans for
encouraging investment, corporate restructuring, and banking reform. I
support the Prime Minister's efforts, and I support the Prime
Minister's reforms. A vibrant, dynamic Japanese economy is in
America's interest, and it is in the world's interest.
Our two countries are also determined to confront the threat from
weapons of mass destruction and the missiles used to deliver them. The
Prime Minister and I agree that we will deepen and accelerate our
cooperation on missile defenses.
On the threat from North Korea's nuclear program, the Prime
Minister and I see the problem exactly the same way. We will not
tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea. We will not give into
blackmail. We will not settle for anything less than the complete,
verifiable, and irreversible elimination of North Korea's nuclear
weapons program.
We discussed the fact that China has started to play an important
role in our efforts to address this challenge. At talks held in
Beijing last month, China called on North Korea to renounce nuclear
weapons and live up to its agreements. The Prime Minister and I agreed
that we must broaden these talks to include Japan and South Korea, and
at sometime later, perhaps others. We are confident that our
diplomatic approach will bring a peaceful solution. Yet we agreed that
further escalation of the situation by North Korea will require tougher
measures from the intelligence community.
Finally, I assured the Prime Minister that the United States will
stand squarely with Japan until all Japanese citizens kidnapped by
North Korea are fully accounted for. I strongly condemn the kidnapping
of Japanese citizens by the North Koreans.
Nearly 150 years have passed since the United States and Japan
opened up diplomatic relations. Since then, we have gone from
strangers to adversaries, to the very best of friends. I look forward
to building on our strong relationship to meet the challenge of our
times.
Mr. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: I'd like to express my heartfelt
appreciation to the President and the First Lady for their heartwarming
welcome and hospitality. We were able to have in-depth and very candid
discussions in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
In the 150 years since the arrival of Commodore Perry to the shores
of Japan, we have developed into strong allies, and we've been able to
confirm those strong relations between our two countries not just in
the context of a bilateral relationship, but also in the global
context. The Japan-U.S. security arrangements are a pillar that
supports our alliance. We decided to further promote consultations
between our governments and to make our cooperation in the security
area even stronger.
Ballistic missile defense is an important agenda in Japan's defense
policy, and Japan will further accelerate its consideration. In
addition, we concurred on the importance of reducing the burden on the
people of Okinawa.
Now, the other pillar is the economy. The Japanese and U.S. gross
domestic products together would account for 40 percent of global GDP.
So it is vital for the world economy, not just the Japanese and U.S.
economies, but for the world economy, that the Japanese and -- or
rather, it is vital for our two countries, as well as for the entire
world economy, that the Japanese and U.S. economies are healthy.
And the most important mission of my Cabinet is to revitalize the
Japanese economy. And I have the support of President Bush in my
efforts to further accelerate structural reforms. And to achieve that
goal, I'll tackle deflation, I shall never allow a financial crisis to
occur. So, not just in the security area, but also in the economic
area, and others, as well, I would like to promote further cooperation
between our two countries on various issues, from the perspective of
Japan-U.S. alliance in a global context.
We are determined in the pursuit of our fight against terrorism and
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Now, of course, we have
different roles, and different means to play out those roles. But to
root out terrorism, Japan and the United States should continue with
firm determination to join their forces.
Now, on Iraq, the President made a difficult and brave decision for
a just cause, and I supported this. And our decision was right. With
Memorial Day coming up, I would like to express my heartfelt
condolences to the brave U.S. men and women in uniform who sacrificed
their lives for the cause, as well as to their families.
I welcome the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1483. And I
saw eye-to-eye with President Bush that we shall continue to cooperate
with each other in order to build up international cooperation. Japan
will actively support Iraq's nation-building.
And I believe that taking advantage of this cessation of combat in
Iraq, and through the reconstruction of Iraq, we should -- the world,
as a whole, should cooperate together in order to bring about peace and
stability in the Middle East. And I would like to express my respect
for the active efforts the President has been making in the Middle
East. I shall be visiting Egypt and Saudi Arabia on this trip, and
together with the Arab countries, I would like to engage in efforts to
reconstruct Iraq.
The issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons is a grave challenge to
entire world. We will not at all tolerate the possession, the
development or the transfer of nuclear weapons by North Korea. North
Korea must promptly and completely dismantle all nuclear weapons
development programs in a verifiable manner. And we agreed that we
would resolve this issue peacefully.
Coordination among Japan, the United States and the Republic of
Korea is crucial to that end. Continuation of the multilateral talks
is important, and participation by Japan and the Republic of Korea is
essential. Further escalation of the situation by North Korea would
require tougher measures.
In any event, Japan will crack down more rigorously in illegal
activities. And the North Koreans will have to understand that threats
and intimations will have no meaning whatsoever. It is extremely
important for Japan to comprehensively resolve the various issues,
including nuclear weapons, missiles, and abduction, based on the
Pyongyang Declaration. And without the resolution of these issues,
normalization of relations will not occur.
And I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the President for
his strong support on the abduction issue.
In any case, I would like to take this occasion to express my
heartfelt respect to the President for the strong leadership he has
exerted since the 9/11 terror attacks the year before last, as well as
the strong determination he showed in addressing as a wartime
President. And I would like to say that Japan will, as much as
possible, strive with the United States for world peace and stability.
Yesterday and today, I spent many hours -- and I've never spent so
many hours discussing various issues with a head of state or head of
government. And we discussed all sorts of issues very candidly and in
depth. I learned from the President that the word "Texas" also means
"friend." So, my appreciation, my heartfelt appreciation goes to the
President and Mrs. Bush for their very warm hospitality, and to the
personal friendship that the President has shown.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Absolutely.
Listen, we'll answer two questions a side, alternating. Please
address -- so don't -- one of these things where you ask me and ask the
Prime Minister, or vice versa. Let's just ask one question to one of
us as we rotate back and forth, if you don't mind.
Scott, will you please set the example.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. I just have one question, and
that's that Sharon embraced the road map today. How significant is
that? Where do we go from here? And will you meet with him and Abbas
in Egypt or Europe?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Prime Minister Sharon accepted the road map, and
that's progress. He accepted it because I assured him that the United
States is committed to Israel's security, and that since we're
committed to Israel's security, as we move forward we will address any
concerns that might arise regarding Israel's security.
I'm exploring the opportunities as to whether or not I should meet
with Prime Minister Abu Mazen, as well as Prime Minister Sharon. If a
meeting advances progress toward two states living side-by-side in
peace, I will strongly consider such a meeting.
I'm committed to working toward peace in the Middle East. Last
week I talked to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as to the Prime
Minister of the Palestinian Authority, and I met with the Finance
Minister of the Palestinian Authority. I understand it's going to be
difficult to achieve peace, but I believe it can happen.
Do you want to call on a member of the Japanese press?
Q I'd like to ask questions relating to the Japanese
self-defense forces in connection with the assistance for Iraq's
reconstruction. First question for President Bush. Would you expect
Japanese contributions to the extent that the Japanese self-defense
forces would go into Iraq on the ground for supporting Iraq's
reconstruction?
And a question for Prime Minister. Would you consider legislating
new law to enable that?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Let me answer first. I expect Japan to
participate to the extent that the Prime Minister deems is necessary to
fulfill the commitment. He tells me he's going to help in the
reconstruction of Iraq; I believe him.
PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: Well, this question related to the
dispatch of Japanese self-defense forces. We are already considering
the dispatch of self-defense force airlift capabilities in the
countries neighboring Iraq for humanitarian purposes.
More specifically, with regard to the question of sending
self-defense forces into Iraq for aiding Iraq's reconstruction, now
that the U.N. resolution has passed, upon return to Japan we shall
study in detail what Japan can do for the reconstruction of Iraq. At
any rate, the question of what Japan can do for helping Iraq
reconstruction is a matter for Japan to decide.
I also believe it is important that Japan make contributions for
Iraq's reconstruction in a prudent manner, in view of Japan's own
strength. And we shall cooperate with the United States, we shall
cooperate with the United Nations for the reconstruction of Iraq. So
we shall consider what Japan can do as an initiative-taking country for
the reconstruction of Iraq.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Randy.
Q Mr. President, you said today that an escalation of North
Korea of its nuclear activities will require tougher measures. But
right now they possess nuclear weapons you say you won't tolerate. So
at what point would you need to increase pressure if they simply do
nothing?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, the first step was to convince China to
participate in the process of saying to North Korea that acceptance by
the international community and potential help will come when they
change their behavior and their attitude toward nuclear weapons. This
message has been delivered, and the North Koreans are thinking about
it. Should they choose to move forward, which we hope they do, then we
will have the Japanese and South Koreans join the dialogue so that
there's now five of us sitting around the table, all discussing how to
see that the Korean Peninsula is nuclear-weapons-free.
And the importance of this meeting today should say to the world
that Japan and the United States stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the
issue of North Korea's nuclear weaponry. I believe that we can solve
this peacefully. I believe that diplomacy can work. And as
importantly, Japan and the United States will not be blackmailed by
North Korean threats, and that's important for the North Korean
leadership to know.
Q I'd like to ask this question of to both leaders. On this --
I understand that in your meeting today you reconfirmed that you'll
seek peaceful resolution of this North Korean nuclear issue. The
question is, do you think that North Korea, that regime under the
leadership of Kim Chong-il can really be a counterpart in negotiations
for a peaceful resolution of the problem?
PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI: On this point let me first say that
President Bush was stating very clearly that our response to North
Korea would be different from that to Iraq. Now, the U.S. position, I
understand, is that all options will remain available, but the United
States, or President Bush was saying that he was confident that a
peaceful resolution can be achieved.
Japan certainly will also seek a peaceful resolution. And I would
like to engage in various ways to appeal to the North Koreans and make
them understand that instead of becoming isolated from the
international community, it is most important for them to become a
responsible member of the community of nations -- and that is most
important not just for North Korea, itself, but for the peace and
stability of the Korean Peninsula and for the entire world.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you very much.
Q A golf question, sir?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Golf?
Q What do you think about Annika Sorenstam?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I'm impressed by Annika Sorenstam. I hope she
makes the cut. I'm pulling for her. And I hope I'll be watching her
on Saturday and Sunday.
Thank you, all.
END 12:08 P.M. CDT
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