Junichirō Koizumi

Exclusive interview with Japanese PM

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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1. Wide shot of Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister, walking in 2. Pan shot of Koizumi to journalists 3. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister: "The US has been stating that they will not give into North Korean blackmail, Japan likewise. North Korea has been making statements that sound like blackmail. They engaged in provocative behaviour such as their statements that they will proceed with nuclear development programme and so on. I believe it is important for us to approach them, work with them on it to make them understand that such behaviour is meaningless." 4. Wide shot of photo-op 5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister: "As far as Japan is concerned, there are issues such as abduction and missile development by North Koreans, not just a nuclear development. We believe that it is only after all these issues are dealt with and resolved comprehensively, following consultations to resolve these problems. Only then, shall we be able to normalise with these issues. Only when there normalisation, can there be economic co-operation with them." 6. Wide pan Koizumi 7. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister: "And with the current state of the economy, the Japanese yen should be weaker. If many foreign countries point their finger, saying that Japanese economy is performing very poorly. Then, the Japanese yen should not be as strong as it is now. Yet, it is stronger you can see. It is against that backdrop that we are making our structural reform." 8. Mid shot of interpreter 9. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister: "With that said, nominal growth rate was in the negative. (Pause) But, still it is not as serious as what you might call a deflationary spiral. The negative nominal growth rate was around negative 0.6 or 0.7 percent. In co-operation with the Bank of Japan, she shall like strive to push it out into positive range." 10. Koizumi walking out STORYLINE: Vowing not to be cowed by North Korea's "provocative words," Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Thursday it is important to send a strong message to Pyongyang that it cannot blackmail the international community with threats of building a nuclear arsenal. He stopped short of advocating economic sanctions against the communist nation, however, and said that while Japan should study stronger missile defences, Tokyo must remain committed to its longstanding policy of using the military strictly for self-defence. "They have made statements that are like blackmail," he said during a press facility with APTN and a small group of reporters, "It is important for us to approach them, to work on them, to make them understand that such a position is meaningless." Although Koizumi said Tokyo still wants to resolve the North Korean issue peacefully, he added that he believes there was a need to increase research into missiles. Japan launched its first spy satellites in March in large part to monitor North Korea's missile development, North Korea in turn shocked the Japanese by firing a ballistic missile over its main island in 1998. Koizumi, who is up for re-election when his tenure as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party expires on September 30, has also struggled with how to turn Japan's ailing economy around. He stressed that Japan remains an economic superpower, but his handling of the economy has been widely panned. The economy shrank for three straight quarters in the year Koizumi took office, marking the nation's worst recession in at least two decades. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/cbcd2abef9d0ff597ab955543b35ec0d Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork