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CNN Live Event/Special
Rumsfeld Holds News Conference with Visiting Japanese Defense Official
Aired December 10, 2001 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is meeting with a visiting Japanese defense official. I want to break in and listen to this right now.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECY. OF DEFENSE: He has visited here before. We've had other visits. And it's a delight to welcome him back to the United States.
As you know, the -- you may not know -- but the Japanese Defense Agency, after the September 11 attack, got together and raised a large sum of money and donated it for the families of the victims of the Pentagon attack. And needless to say, all of us were deeply grateful for this spontaneous example of the strength of the wonderful relationship between the United States and Japan.
Since the two of us have been in our respective positions -- oh, stop and let her do it. There you go.
(LAUGHTER)
RUMSFELD: For those of you who don't speak English, I can assure you that Ms. Gregg (ph) does it a lot better than I do.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
Very briefly, we talked about a great many things and, certainly, the strengthening of the strategic relationship between the United States and Japan.
And we talked about the very fine cooperation that Japan is providing with respect to the war on terrorism.
And as you know, this is a very interesting period in Japan, because of the steps that the government of Japan is taking to evolve the role that their military takes.
So we had an excellent visit and had a great deal to talk about.
And I'll turn it over to the minister of state for defense. GEN NAKATANI, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE JAPANESE DEFENSE AGENCY (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I'm really happy to be able to hold this meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld, again, following this June's meeting.
And first of all, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the people who died in the September terrorist attack. And also, I heard that there were 125 victims in this Pentagon, regarding this attack. And I'd really like to express my sincere condolences.
I would like to express my respect to the U.S. forces who are engaging in the fight against international terrorism, and also to the whole U.S. citizens who are fighting against terrorism.
And we strongly support U.S. action fighting against terrorism.
And as for Japan, we take this fight against terrorism as our own security issue, and we have dispatched our vessels -- our self-defense forces vessels and also operating our aircraft for the support and cooperation and support activities to the U.S. forces. And also we are conducting relief activities for the displaced persons in Pakistan.
As we had discussed in the meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld, I think that this operation that we are conducting now is very significant in terms of this is the first significant operation of Japanese self-defense forces abroad fighting against terrorism. And also, I think this is significant in terms of the first actual significant joint operation between Japan and United States.
And so, I think the fight against the terrorism is the first challenge and first trial to the new 50 years of U.S.-Japan alliance, and I would like to make every effort to overcome this trial and challenge. And we would like to continue to cooperate with each other, and I'm really determined to make every effort and put every energy to fight against the terrorism and have U.S.-Japan alliance.
Thank you very much.
RUMSFELD: Be happy to take questions. I don't see Charlie, so I'll start back here.
Yes?
QUESTION: You can start right here.
(LAUGHTER)
RUMSFELD: Yes? I'd probably start with a guest.
(LAUGHTER)
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, I'm sure you talked with the minister about the Japanese U.S.-Japan cooperation on the fight on the terror.
And also, I'm sure you talked about the missile defense as well.
Mr. Secretary, what have you shared with Minister Nakatani? And how did he respond to you?
RUMSFELD: Well, I don't know that I can relate the lengthy discussions we had. But we did talk about both those subjects, and I expressed my appreciation to the minister for the cooperation that Japan is providing with respect to the war on terrorism.
And with respect to missile defense, we discussed the fact that as our research and development program evolves, we need to stay in very close contact because of Japan's interest in certain aspects of our program, which we shall do.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary and Minister, you have said that the fight against terrorism will last years, not months. Do you both foresee any chance that the Japanese support for the United States in this war will grow beyond that which has already been approved?
RUMSFELD: Well, I can speak for our side, and that is that we have always believed that each country should participate in those aspects of the war on terrorism that they feel comfortable participating in. And I think it is a -- the answer to your question is something that will evolve over time, depending on what the various missions might be, and that is true not just of Japan, but I suspect all countries participating in the various coalitions.
QUESTION: And you, sir?
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Mr. Minister, can we ask you the same question?
RUMSFELD: Since we have so little time, it seems to me we ought to probably...
BLITZER: The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his guest, the visiting director general of the Japan Defense Agency, General Nakatani, speaking to reporters, talking about the cooperation between the United States and Japan in the war in Afghanistan. The Japanese committing some equipment for the first time in a serious way since the end of World War II in this war on terrorism.
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