Following is the gist of remarks made by Mr. Hiroshi Okuda, Chairman of Nippon Keidanren, at a scheduled press conference after monthly Chairman and Vice Chairmen's meeting on 9 December 2002. Translation is rush and tentative, and sequence of the gist does not necessarily coincide with words delivered.
(Regarding final report of The Promotion Committee for The Privatization of Four Road-related Public Corporations)
I personally think that it is necessary to construct those roads that are necessary -- how is a different question. We would have to keep our eyes on the administration and the Diet to check how would the final report be actually implemented.
(Regarding relationship between politics and business regarding political funding)
We are still discussing about it from the perspective of how should the relationship between politics and business in Japan be in 2025. We haven't decided nor have we come to consensus on any of the aspects including methodology.
(Regarding expected meeting with new Chinese leadership next week)
I am still studying about them, but I hope I could listen to the basic concept of the new leadership over the general direction of future Japan-China relationship.
(Regarding relationship with non-Japanese press)
I do meet with non-Japanese press as I am doing today, and I will continue to do so in the future. However, issue of language as well as the cultural gap lying between Japanese and other languages is a source of unfortunate misunderstandings -- this is the essence of what I said back then. So, in future, I have to be bolder, direct, and discrete in what I would have to say, and make sure that is well understood.