Interview with Japanese Foreign Minister

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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1. Japanese Foreign Minister, Nobutaka Machimura walking into interview room, shaking hands with journalists 2. Machimura sitting 3. Journalist 4. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Nobutaka Machimura, Japanese Foreign Minister: "The two leaders will be staying here for three days, I believe. So, I think that the summit between the two will take place during this period. " 5. Machimura sitting 6. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Nobutaka Machimura, Japanese Foreign Minister: "In principle, I think it is important that the two leaders confirm anew the importance of the friendship between the two.That the two cooperate hand in hand and develop relationships is important not only to Japan and China but also to the entire region of east Asia and to the world." 7. Machimura's hands 8. Machimura with journalists 9. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Nobutaka Machimura, Japanese Foreign Minister: "I think it is very important that we resume the six party talks as soon as possible and make efforts in working toward making Korean peninsular nuclear free. I think that the five all agree that we should resolve the problem peacefully. In this sense, although Japan and China are temporary opposed to each other to a limited extent, this will not have any impact on the policy towards North Korea. " 10. Journalists 11. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Nobutaka Machimura, Japanese Foreign Minister: "Be it Iran or North Korea, international community cannot tolerate an increase in the number of countries that posess nuclear weapons. It is very important that the international community agree that the number of countries processing nuclear weapons be reduced and number of nuclear weapons not increase." 12. Close up Machimura's jacket 13. Machimura leaving room STORYLINE: Japan's foreign minister said Thursday he expects China to accept the offer of a summit between the country's two leaders to try to defuse their worst diplomatic row in three decades. Japan's Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura spoke to journalists in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, ahead of a two-day conference which will draw together presidents, prime ministers and kings and will represent 80 nations. Chinese and Japanese government officials are scheduled to meet during the Asia-African conference which starts Friday. The dispute between China and Japan has threatened to overshadow the conference which Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi are due to attend. Machimura said Thursday he was confident Hu and Koizumi would meet, but that no definite date had been set. "The two leaders will be staying here for three days, I believe. So, I think that the summit between the two will take place during this period", Machimura said. He added that it "is important that the two leaders confirm anew the importance of the friendship between the two" because it had implications not only or Japan and China "but also to the entire region of east Asia and to the world." China said Thursday it was still considering Japan's proposal for a meeting. Some speculated China might not be willing to reach a settlement yet. A Chinese Foreign Ministry official on Wednesday called for Japan to help create "good conditions" for a summit, but wouldn't say what Beijing wants. Anti-Japanese protests erupted after Tokyo approved a new history textbook that critics say downplays wartime Japanese atrocities, including mass sex slavery and germ warfare. Machimura also talked on Thursday about how "important" it is to resume six-nation talks aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear arms program. Machimura also said "Be it Iran or North Korea, international community can not tolerate an increase in the number of countries that possess nuclear weapons. " You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/63998e8b5f4f4336c83d9237db3959df Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork