[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[May 5, 2000]
[Page 851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 851]]


Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Yoshiro 
Mori of Japan
May 5, 2000

    The President. Good morning.

Visit of Prime Minister Mori

    Q. What are you going to talk about?
    The President. Well, we're going to talk about our relationship, 
which is very, very important to both of us. I'm delighted to have Prime 
Minister Mori here and anxious to have this chance to visit, and I'm 
also very much looking forward to going to Okinawa to the G-8 meeting 
this year. So we have a lot to visit about.
    Q. Is this your first meeting?
    The President. Yes. It's our first official meeting, yes. We met 
briefly once before.
    Q. Mr. President, do you intend to talk about trade and especially 
the telecommunication dispute?
    The President. We're going to talk about everything, I hope--
everything we have time to talk about.
    Q. What's your view of the Japanese economy?
    The President. I think it's getting better, and we're going to talk 
about what the future is. We support a strong Japanese economy. I think 
there are a lot of inherent strengths in the economy, most of all in the 
people and the level of skill and education and capacity to grow. I 
believe that they will return to big growth, I hope sooner rather than 
later.
    Q. Mr. President, what's your message to the people of Okinawa?

National Economy

    Q. Mr. President, the American economy, is it overheating?
    The President. Well, the inflation report yesterday was quite good. 
And as you know, this morning the unemployment report is wonderful news 
for the American people, the lowest in over 30 years now. So I'm 
hopeful, because combined with yesterday's inflation report, the news is 
good, and we just have to keep on a steady course, keep working.

Okinawa

    Q. Mr. President, what's your message to the people of Okinawa when 
you go there in July? Are you willing to talk with them and explain to 
them why we need to maintain all those U.S. bases in Okinawa?
    The President. I hope I'll have a chance to speak with them, and I 
want to talk to the Prime Minister about how we should do that. But we 
tried to be sensitive to the concerns of the people and to be highly 
respectful. And where mistakes have been made, we've tried to correct 
them, and we will continue to do that.

Note: The President spoke at 9:57 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.