    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [April 17, 1996]
    [Pages 585-591]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of
    Japan in Tokyo
    April 17, 1996

        Prime Minister Hashimoto. Right in front of you, I and President
    Clinton signed two documents. One is the message to the peoples of Japan
    and the United States that lays down the direction in which the two
    countries should, together, proceed towards the 21st century. And the
    second is the Japan-U.S. Declaration on Security.
        The message to the peoples of Japan and the United States summarizes
    how important the Japan-U.S. bilateral relationships are for our peoples
    and how our two countries will cooperate on a future agenda by referring
    to the preciousness of democracy and freedom, bilateral cooperation on
    regional issues, cooperation for U.N. reform, and on disarmament and on
    our economic relations and how we shall cooperate with each other in
    these respects.
        The Japan-U.S. Declaration on Security reaffirms that the Japan-U.S.
    security setup will continue to play an important role, as in the past,
    in preserving security, peace, and stability in

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    the Asia-Pacific, and notes that it will be the starting point for our
    bilateral cooperation into the future.
        Our meeting covered a wide ground: security, economic, and other
    bilateral issues, as well as various problems of the international
    community and the consolidation, realignment, and reduction of military
    facilities in Okinawa. Both Governments are making sincere efforts to
    reduce the burden on the Okinawa people by paying our utmost
    consideration to the feelings of the Okinawa people.
        We once again expressed our appreciation for the contents of the
    interim report of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa announced the
    day before yesterday and mutually confirmed that it will be important to
    ensure proper and expeditious implementation of the measures spelled out
    in that report, that both of us will continue to do our utmost to arrive
    at a final agreement in November of this year.
        On the Japan-U.S. economic relations, I explained that Japan current
    account surplus is on a declining trend and that the Government of Japan
    is working on economic structural reform, including deregulation. And I
    suggested that we engage in discussions on individual economic issues
    whenever necessary by building on our past track record.
        We'll also discuss the importance of Japan and the United States
    cooperating with each other to stand up against the threats to humankind
    and to the global community. We confirmed that, to that end, six new
    areas will be added to our cooperation on so-called Common Agenda, such
    as on antiterrorism initiative and on emerging and reemerging diseases,
    et cetera, and that we shall further foster such cooperation with the
    participation of the private sector and other countries.
        We also decided to study together a 21st century-type development
    that will be in harmony with nature. Within the little time we had, we
    also exchanged views on the situation in different parts of the world--
    China, the Korean Peninsula, Russia, the Former Yugoslavia, the Middle
    East--and discussed our respective policy there, too.
        My candid impressions of the meeting today are that today's summit
    meeting was supported by very firm and large pillars and by a big roof,
    the large pillars being mutual understanding between the peoples of our
    two countries. And I put to the President my determination to create
    opportunities for many, many more American youths to visit Japan in the
    future so that these pillars will grow even larger.
        The big roof is the values that our two countries have shared
    together to date. Japan and the United States, both built on universal
    values of democracy, human rights, an open economy, among others, have
    mutually built a relationship that is indispensable for the future of
    the world.
        I will end on the note that the essence of the meeting today was the
    reaffirmation of this extremely important relationship. And I would like
    to yield to President now.
        President Clinton. Thank you, Prime Minister.
        Let me begin by thanking the Imperial Family and the Prime Minister
    for their hospitality to me and the First Lady and to all of our
    American delegation, and thanking the Japanese people for a wonderful
    welcome in this beautiful springtime.
        I'm here primarily to celebrate the extraordinary partnership
    between our two nations over the last 50 years and to strengthen our
    alliance to meet the demands of this time of exceptional change. The
    Prime Minister and I strongly agree that as two of the world's strongest
    democracies and leading economies, Japan and the United States have a
    special responsibility to lead.
        This is a moment of remarkable possibility for our people to make
    the most of their own lives, but it is also a moment of stern challenge.
    More and more, problems that start beyond our border can become problems
    within our borders. No one is immune to the threats posed by rogue
    states, by the spread of weapons of mass destruction, by terrorism,
    crime, and drug trafficking, by environmental decay and economic
    dislocation. But together we can turn these collective challenges into
    common solutions.
        For the past 3 years our two nations have been doing just that. Now
    when you look at the great diversity of our ties in security, in trade,
    in our Common Agenda partnership, the conclusion is clear: The
    relationship between the United States and Japan is better and stronger
    than ever.
        Our security alliance is key to maintaining a Pacific at peace,
    especially at this time of profound regional change. The security
    delegation--excuse me--the Security Declaration that the Prime Minister
    and I just signed is a result of more than one year's hard work and
    careful

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    study. It strengthens our alliance for the 21st century.
        The United States will maintain our troop presence in Japan at about
    current levels. We will deepen our cooperation with Japan's self-defense
    forces, and we will reduce the burden of our bases on the Japanese
    people, and especially on the people of Okinawa, without diminishing our
    defense capability.
        Our trade relationship is also on the right track. That's good for
    all of our people. When I took office, there was real frustration in the
    United States about the difficulty we had selling our goods and services
    in the Japanese market. Since then, our two nations have signed 21
    separate trade agreements, covering everything from auto parts to
    medical supplies to computers. Our exports in those sectors are up
    dramatically, about 85 percent. That means in America more jobs and
    better pay and in Japan lower prices and greater choice.
        Free and fair trade is a win-win proposition. Now there is more work
    to be done, of course, in areas like insurance and semiconductors and
    film. None of it will be easy. But for the first time, I want everyone
    to be clear, we have established a process to resolve problems that do
    arise in a patient and pragmatic manner.
        The partnership between our countries is also making a real
    difference around the world. In Bosnia we have joined forces to help
    people rebuild their lives and their land. I want to thank Japan for the
    extraordinarily generous $500 million relief and reconstruction package
    that Japan has just announced. This is evidence of a powerful commitment
    to lead the world toward peace and freedom.
        The Prime Minister and I reviewed many other initiatives we are
    taking under our Common Agenda. We're working to wipe out polio by the
    year 2000. We're working to reduce the devastation of natural disasters
    through our earthquake disaster reduction effort, to protect the world's
    forests and oceans, to lift people's lives through advanced technology,
    to complete and sign a comprehensive test ban treaty this year, to bring
    the blessings of peace and freedom to more people than ever before.
        I also thank the Japanese Government for reaching out for greater
    educational and cultural exchanges with the American people, and I
    particularly appreciate the efforts the Prime Minister has made in this
    regard.
        In this time of challenge and change, the partnership between our
    two nations is more important to our people and to the world than ever.
    If we realize its full potential, that partnership can be a powerful
    force for progress and peace for our own people and all around the
    world.
        Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. Questions and answers. Those of you who
    have questions, please raise your hand.
        Yes, over there.

    Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements

        Q. President Clinton and Prime Minister, we appreciate your work.
    The question for Prime Minister Hashimoto: You stated your candid
    impressions with regard to the meeting you just had. On individual
    issues, amidst the end of cold war, in this new relationship, situation
    here in the world, I believe one of your important themes was to
    reaffirm the importance of Japan-U.S. relationship, and I wonder--I
    think you reaffirmed that the guidelines for Japan-U.S. defense
    cooperation will be reviewed as well. But in this connection, I believe
    there will be a need for coordination of views between Japan and the
    United States with regard to the exercise of collective self-defense,
    which is a matter that could impinge on the Japanese Constitution. And I
    wonder how are you going to address that problem now, Mr. Prime
    Minister?
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. Last year we modified the national defense
    outline and came up with a new outline of national defense program in
    order to organize Japanese defense capabilities in accordance with the
    new prevailing international circumstances. And it goes without saying
    that since there have been changes that we have to engage in various
    studies in response to those changes.
        I truly believe that it is because of Japan-U.S. Security Treaty
    that for 51 years since our defeat in the Second World War, we have been
    able to lead peaceful lives, and we did not think much about a
    contingency situation. And in case that emergency arises--there might be
    a need to rescue Japanese in certain areas of emergency; we might also
    have to receive refugees--now, we were very fortunate; we didn't have to
    think about those contingencies. Today, however, we have to consider
    those possibilities and study what can be done, what cannot be done. We
    have to study these very clearly. I think

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    there is a true need to engage in that sort of study.
        Now, there's a tendency for people to say that this is a matter of
    interpretation of the Constitution or a matter of emergency legislation
    and so on. People are bogged down in conceptual discussions. But I think
    there are certain things that we can do under the present Constitution,
    and I think it is our responsibility to make clear what can be done and
    what cannot be done.
        So I would like to appeal to people, taking advantage of this
    occasion, and in case a crisis really emerges, we have to make sure that
    the Japan-U.S. security setup will function properly and will be
    operated efficiently. And to that end, we also have to engage in studies
    as to what can be done and what cannot be done by Japan. That is how I
    really see it.
        Next question, please.

    Middle East Peace Process

        Q. Terry Hunt, with the Associated Press. The Prime Minister said
    that you spoke about the Middle East. Mr. President, what can you tell
    us about U.S. efforts to broker a truce between Israel and the Hezbollah
    guerrillas? Are you making any progress? And who do you hold primarily
    responsible for this violence?
        President Clinton. Let's begin at the beginning. I think that
    clearly the truce was violated by Hezbollah violating the agreement that
    had previously been brokered in raining the Katyusha rockets into
    northern Israel. That was obviously what provoked this.
        Now having said that, I think it is important that we do everything
    we can to bring an end to the violence. And even though we're here in
    Japan and we are working on a very important issue here, we've been
    quite active in the Middle East. The Secretary of State has spent an
    enormous amount of time on this issue in the last several days, and we
    will do what we can to bring an end to the violence and to try to
    reestablish a workable agreement. But I have no progress to report on
    that at this time.

    Taiwan

        Q. President Clinton, in the bilateral talks held earlier, have you
    touched any issues regarding the recent tension in the Taiwan Strait?
    Because in the declaration, we couldn't find anything like that had been
    mentioned. Since you emphasized that the security treaty is not only to
    protect Japan but also to protect the Asian-Pacific region, does it mean
    clearly that Taiwan is under such a protection? Thank you.
        President Clinton. Well, the Prime Minister might want to comment on
    this as well. But yes, we discussed Taiwan and China extensively, as
    well as the recent tension in the strait. It is obvious that our
    partnership is designed to try to preserve the peace for all peoples in
    this region. And I believe that I can say we both agree that, while the
    United States clearly observes the so-called one China policy, we also
    observe the other aspects of the agreement we made many years ago, which
    include a commitment on the part of both parties to resolve all their
    differences in a peaceable manner. And we have encouraged them to pursue
    that. Therefore, we were concerned about those actions in the Taiwan
    Strait.
        I do see some hope in the last few days that there is a return to a
    more orderly and peaceful relationship, and that is certainly what we
    are urging both the Chinese and the Taiwanese to do.
        Mr. Prime Minister, do you want to say anything?
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. When the situation across the Taiwan
    Straits became very tense, we asked both parties to exercise self-
    restraint. And also, since the Japan-China declaration, we have
    supported the Chinese position that there is only one China. Having said
    that, we also believe that the two parties should resolve this problem
    in a peaceful manner.

    Korean Peace Process and

    U.S. Troops in Japan

        Q. I would like to ask a question of both of you. Before coming
    here, Mr. President, you visited Korea and suggested that four
    countries, U.S., China, Republic of Korea, and North Korea, engage in
    quadrilateral discussions for peace on the peninsula. In that
    quadrilateral discussions, I wonder how Japanese will participate in
    discussions. How would you see Japanese role in that process? And what
    sort of roles would Japan suggest to U.S., China, Korea, and North
    Korea?
        One other thing: In this joint declaration, you said clearly that
    the 100,000 troop level would be maintained in East Asia. But I believe
    you did not specifically refer to 47,000 in Japan. Of course, I believe
    looking at future peace

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    in East Asia--would you believe that the 47,000 troop level in Japan is
    something that is fixed or something that you can be flexible on?
        President Clinton. Well, first of all, let me answer the second
    question first. We are committed to maintaining a constant level of
    troops in East Asia. How many troops we have on any given day and any
    given week in Japan or in Korea will vary from time to time, depending
    on what other things are going on in the world and in the area.
        But we believe we should maintain our participation at more or less
    the same levels here in Japan, and we believe we can honor our
    commitments that Secretary Perry and the Prime Minister have just
    announced, that the Prime Minister took such a leading role in trying
    to--in bringing about, with regard to Okinawa and on the other issues,
    and still keep about 47,000 people here.
        Now on the Korea issue, I want to make it clear that the proposal
    that we made was that these four nations would enter into the peace
    negotiations because the United States and China were parties to the
    armistice agreement in Korea 43 years ago. But it is obvious to
    everyone, I think, that there will never be a peace between the Korean
    people until they agree to the peace. Ultimately, I think that means
    that it will have to be supported by all the friends and neighbors of
    Korea that will have a large say in what kind of future any peaceful
    resolution would bring about.
        So I was very gratified when the Prime Minister expressed his
    support for the proposal that President Kim and I made yesterday. And I
    hope that others in the region will do so as well, and then I hope they
    will be a part of encouraging North and South Korea to make peace and
    discussing what might come about after it's over if they do make peace.
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. When I heard the announcement of that
    proposal, I was truly happy to learn the contents of that and the
    substance of that proposal against the background of the situation in
    the Korean Peninsula. For the four countries, including U.S. and China,
    to come to dialog without any preconditions I hope would lead to a true
    solution.
        And in that process, if Japan is asked, I believe Japan should play
    any role it can. Having said that, today there exist the two countries,
    North Korea and the Republic of Korea; there is a borderline between
    them. And the United States and China that participated at the time of
    the armistice agreement would participate in that discussions, but it is
    not for Japan to go out and say we want to do this, we want to do that.
    That is my view. But we should earnestly play the role that we are asked
    to play. Certainly, that is what we ought to do to help each other.

    Terrorism

        Q. I'd like to ask a question with regard to the Common Agenda you
    have agreed to. You agreed to add new areas for bilateral cooperation,
    and I would like to invite comments by President Clinton and Prime
    Minister Hashimoto. Amongst the new areas, there is a counterterrorism
    initiative, and it calls for strengthened cooperation between Japan and
    the United States. As you know, in Japan last year there was an
    unprecedented large-scale terrorist incident, the Aum Shinrikyo
    incident, the nerve gas attack. Now, faced with these terrorist attacks,
    how would Japan and the United States actually try to, shall we say,
    cooperate and fall in step in countering these activities? Would FBI,
    CIA, and Japanese police authorities consider regular meetings, regular
    exchanges?
        President Clinton. Well of course, the details would have to be
    worked out, but let me just, if I could, sketch a framework that I would
    be thinking about.
        Nations like ours, as borders become more open, money and
    information are transferred in a millisecond all across the world, and
    we become more integrated, we become vulnerable to two kinds of
    terrorism: first of all, what you might call homegrown terrorism, what
    you experienced in the Japanese subway, what we experienced at Oklahoma
    City; secondly, terrorism that is generated or at least involves
    interests from beyond your borders, such as what we experienced at the
    World Trade Center in New York and a number of the proposed attacks that
    we were able to thwart.
        It is obvious to me that these kinds of attacks present a genuine
    threat not only to the lives of the innocent civilians who may be killed
    in them but to the whole idea of an open, civilized society in a global
    economy. Therefore, I think we ought to cooperate in two ways. First of
    all, there's a lot of information we ought to be sharing with regard to
    international terrorism, and there's a lot of work we can be doing
    together.

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        Secondly, we can learn a lot from each other about how to deal with
    homegrown terrorism, and even that may have an international aspect. Are
    people learning, for example, from the Internet how to make the same
    sort of trouble in the United States that was made in Japan with sarin
    gas? Isn't it a concern that anybody anywhere in the world can pull down
    off the Internet the information about how to build a bomb like the bomb
    that blew up the Federal building in Oklahoma City? How can we work
    together to learn from each other about how to prevent these things
    before they occur, when they're purely domestically driven, as well as
    sharing information and technology and law enforcement about the
    international terrorist networks that are out there?
        I predict to you that every great nation will have to face this for
    the next 20 years at least, and we just want to be on the cutting edge
    of showing that we can work together to save lives and to preserve
    freedom.
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. Well, if I could add a word to what the
    President has already said, we already have cooperation on the money-
    laundering problems and narcotics trading. We already have cooperation
    in law enforcing. But how we publish these activities, please don't ask
    us to do that. But as in the case of law enforcement against money
    laundering, there are areas where cooperation is already underway. And
    of course, in terms of counterterrorism, I'm sure there are various ways
    we can engage in cooperation.

    U.S. Troops in Japan

        Q. Paul Basken, with United Press International. Mr. President, Mr.
    Prime Minister, for both of you: The joint declaration you have just
    signed describes the U.S. military role in Japan as essential to
    protecting the security of Asia. How have you concluded the U.S.
    military is essential here, and what circumstances need to change either
    in Japan or elsewhere in Asia before U.S. troops can safely go home?
        President Clinton. Well, first of all, I believe that our presence
    is needed here as long as people have any fear at all that some
    countries might seek to dominate others or that Asia might become a
    battleground for any sort of security problem that would affect the
    freedom and independence and the safety of the people of Japan or our
    other allies in the area. When that time comes to an end I think will
    largely be for the people here to determine, although obviously we would
    want our views heard as well.
        One of the most gratifying things to me as President is that where
    we are involved in security partnerships, as we are in Asia, I believe
    that we are seen as a force of stability by our very presence there
    because of the capacity of our military and the fact that everyone knows
    we have no ulterior motive. That is, we seek no advantage; we seek to
    dominate no country; we seek to control no country; we seek to do
    nothing in any improper way with our military power. We are only here
    with our allies in Korea and Japan, obviously, and to serve as a source
    of security and stability to others throughout this region.
        And as long as there is any concern about that, I think we should be
    here, if the people here want us here. When that time is over, we will
    probably all know it, but I think that definition should flow primarily
    from the people who have been our allies over the decades and whose
    security we care so deeply about.
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. Let me pick up the thread where the
    President left it off and give my answer. The presence of the U.S.
    forces in this part of the world is welcome. We welcome their presence,
    and we believe that is serving the stability of Asia and the Pacific.
    And that is of the foremost importance.
        The cold war is over. The days of confrontation between East and
    West is over. And with the end of the cold war, true, large sources of
    confrontation has disappeared, but regional conflicts have increased for
    various reasons. We see numerous areas of instability around the globe,
    and in this part of the world there still remain large amount of weapons
    of mass destruction.
        Against that background, would it be possible for Japan alone to
    defend itself? To do that, a major effort will be required and also
    probably will not be able to lay to rest international concerns vis-a-
    vis such Japanese endeavors. The United States is putting its presence
    in this area in the form of the American youth, and I believe it can be
    understood clearly how precious a presence they are for the security of
    this part of the world.

    Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements

        Q. A question for the President. I believe the agreement law on
    security this time will

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    mean a very major turning point for Japan-U.S. security, and I wonder if
    you have any comments to share with us.
        President Clinton. My view is that it will reinforce our community--
    excuse me--our security relationship, not represent a turning point but
    a maturing of it. For example, when the Prime Minister asked us to
    consider the concerns of the people of Okinawa and I became acquainted
    with them as a result of some of the unfortunate incidents that you know
    well about, it bothered me that these matters had not been resolved
    before now, before this time. And again, I want to publicly say what I
    said to the Prime Minister last night: I want to thank him for giving
    the United States the opportunity to respond in an appropriate manner to
    try to resolve these matters. But we did it in a way that did not in any
    way undermine our own security or defense capabilities and, therefore,
    permits us to cooperate with Japan in whatever way may be necessary as
    challenges come along in the future and as Japan defines its own
    security agenda.
        So I don't see this as a dramatic departure. I see this as the
    relationship between two old friends maturing, dealing with things that
    needed to be dealt with, and adjusting to the challenges of the world
    that we now face.

    Ebola Virus

        Q. Brian Williams, with NBC News. Mr. President, are you up to date
    on the apparent discovery of the Ebola virus in Texas? And what can the
    Federal Government do, I guess, via the CDC to make sure that no kind of
    scare develops from this?
        President Clinton. Yes, I have been briefed on it this morning. The
    CDC is on top of it. We are working with the Texas health officials. We
    believe, based on what we now know, that there is no substantial threat
    to the general population of the people there or the people of the
    United States generally.
        So I can say that I would urge people not to overreact to this. It's
    a serious matter; we are on top of it. If the facts change and we think
    there is something more to be concerned about, you may be sure we will
    inform the American people as soon as we can. But for now, I am
    confident that the Federal Government is taking appropriate action, and
    that we're on top of it, and there's nothing for the people to overreact
    to at this moment.
        Prime Minister Hashimoto. President Clinton, thank you very much.
    And with this, we conclude the press conference. Thank you very much for
    coming.

    Note: The President's 119th news conference began at 1:45 p.m. at the
    Akasaka Palace. Prime Minister Hashimoto spoke in Japanese, and his
    remarks were translated by an interpreter.