Historical perspectives or outlooks represented in textbooks should not be identified as those of the Japanese government.

Troops are there to provide humanitarian support. There is no reason the Self Defense Forces should withdraw from Iraq. We will do our utmost for those people to be released unharmed.

Good relations between the United States and China are important to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

We do not know any more than what already has been made public by the press, and there are some conflicting reports so we are seeking to gather more accurate information on this incident.

The government deeply regrets what it has done.

Our government hopes that the safety of the crew will be ensured and the issue will be resolved smoothly and promptly.

We welcome the announcement. We hope that the sending of the envoy will lead to better relations between the South and the North.

The Japanese government will do what it can to cooperate. We would like to discuss how with the U.S. government from now on.