Miyazawa Touches All Bases at His First Press Conference

At his first press conference as Japanese prime minister, Kiichi Miyazawa spent nearly an hour and a half Wednesday discussing everything from economics and foreign policy to morality with a spontaneity and frankness that won accolades from political observers.

Miyazawa raised serious questions, for example, about the role that human rights issues should play in foreign policy. “Some countries may have pulled themselves out of absolute poverty, and for them making a living is the most important for that country,” Miyazawa said. “Applying an abstract yardstick of human rights on (foreign aid) would not allow for effective development assistance.”

As for involvement by him and several of his Cabinet ministers in recent bribery scandals, Miyazawa admitted he had been incautious. “I will have to continue to scrutinize myself for the rest of my life,” he said. “Other Cabinet members feel the same way.”

On the economy, Miyazawa promised to step up public spending to fulfill promises to the United States to stimulate Japan’s economy and encourage imports.

The new prime minister said that Japan’s trade surplus with the United States presents a growing problem because its share of America’s total deficit is growing. However, he said the imbalance would be difficult to resolve.

He noted, for example, that many U.S. imports consist of machinery to modernize factories. “That is the ‘rice’ of industry without which U.S. industry cannot survive,” he said.

Japan’s willingness to make concessions on liberalizing its rice imports and other issues will “depend on how much the U.S. and Europe are willing to make concessions,” Miyazawa said. His minister of agriculture has said that Japan needs far more time in opening up Japan’s rice market.

Miyazawa emphasized the importance of signing a peace treaty with the Soviet Union to end the current “unnatural state.” But he was skeptical about the likelihood that Japan would provide large amounts of aid to the Soviet Union. “We aren’t saying we can’t provide that support, but we don’t know to whom we are lending and what will be the financial scheme.”

In talks between North Korea and South Korea, Miyazawa sees opportunities for a breakthrough. “A little more push and we can open up bright prospects,” he said.

In contrast to Japan’s past soft-glove handling of North Korea, Miyazawa took a hard line on Pyongyang’s refusal so far to accept inspection of its nuclear facilities. “North Korea says it (nuclear safeguards) is none of Japan’s business, but they are wrong,” Miyazawa said. “Japan is a neighbor, so it is our concern.”

Miyazawa appeared fundamentally optimistic about Japan’s relationship with the United States. “The most important thing is that we can be candid with each other because we share values,” he said. “There will be friction from time to time,” he added, “but it shouldn’t lead to an explosion in relations.”

Miyazawa is expected to repeat many of the same themes in his inaugural speech to Parliament on Friday.