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LV & ZOOM IN West German Defence Minister, Hans Apel with Japan's Self Defence Agency Director General, Kichizo Hosoda inspecting troops
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SV INTERIOR Mr. Apel enters room and greeted by Mr. Hosoda, and other officials
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CU & PAN Mr. Apel TO Mr. Hosoda, who walk to seats
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SV Mr. Apel and Mr. Hosoda sitting, talking (4 shots)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: West German Defence Minister Hans Apel said on Tuesday (25 March) that West Germany and Japan must cooperate to try and get Soviet forces out of Afghanistan. Mr. Apel was speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Tokyo.

SYNOPSIS: West German Defence Minister Hans Apel's time a man holding his position has ever visited Japan. He was invited by the Director-General of the Japanese Defence Agency, Mr. Kichizo Hosoda. But he also met Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira, International Trade and Industry Minister Yoshitake Sasaki and Foreign Minister Saburo Okita during his three-day stay.

Though he discounted any possibility of a West German or Japanese military presence in the Gulf Region, mr. Apel said the two countries, as strong economic powers should exert economic and diplomatic pressure on the Soviet Union. He said this must be done to contain what he called further Soviet aggression and invasions.

Mr. Apel alleged there are now eighty to ninety thousand Soviet troops in Afghanistan. And by sending troops into a non-aligned country, he said the Soviet Union had proved itself an imperialist nation. Japan is especially sensitive to the security of the Gulf region because of its dependence on Middle East oil, and Soviet troops in Afghanistan are seen as another factor in the instability of the area close to the Middle East.

The current Japanese defence policy came under criticism on Tuesday (25 March) from General Hiroomi Kurisu, the former Defence Chief, who said it bears little or no relation to today's conditions. He said the Soviet military build-up, particularly in naval power, presents Japanese defence planners with a challenge which is not being faced.