As far as I know, so far we have not officially received such a concrete offer of assistance from the United States as you mentioned. If we receive that sort of offer, we will study it in close consultation with the Agency of Science and Technology and other relevant authorities. The head is Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and almost all of the Ministers and the Directors General of agencies are included as members of this Headquarters. Besides the Director-General of the Agency of Science and Technology, almost all of the ministers are members, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Defense Agency, and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Japan is America's closest ally, immediate ally in Asia, but it is Australia that has taken leadership in the East Timor action.
Japan is no where to be found there.
You are right in saying that Japan is the closest ally of the United States in Asia, there is no doubt about that. As far as the so-called Howard Doctrine is concerned, our understanding is that the article which conveyed that Doctrine does not reflect correctly the intention and idea of Prime Minister John Howard of the Commonwealth of Australia. He himself officially corrected that. Coming to East Timor, firstly on the role of Australia, we highly regard the role and initiative which the Government of Australia has played and is playing. As to Japan's contribution to the multinational forces, at this press conference it has been repeatedly explained that Japan is prepared to make a substantial financial contribution to the multinational forces with a view to facilitating the participation of some of the developing countries which may feel that they would like to participate, although they might be financially hampered.