Bill Clinton: “Let me--you all don't even need to sit back down. I'm going to answer this one question; then we'll visit. The question…”

“Let me--you all don't even need to sit back down. I'm going to answer this one question; then we'll visit. The question was about the support of the United States for the Japanese yen. Let me say, I talked to Prime Minister Hashimoto last night, oh, for 20 or 30 minutes at about 11:30, our time. Japan is very important to the world, especially to the United States and to the efforts we're making to support an economic recovery in Asia, which is very important to keeping our own economic progress going. It is important that they take some critical steps, and as they do them, we will support them. I was very encouraged by the Prime Minister's statement that he intends to pursue aggressive reform of their banking institutions and intends to do the things that are necessary to get the economy going again. And therefore, I thought it was important that we support them. In terms of the details of our support, they are contained in Secretary Rubin's statement today, and I couldn't do a bit better than he has done. But we're doing the right thing, and I think the Prime Minister of Japan has done the right thing. And we've got a chance to turn that situation in Asia around before it gets any worse. And America needs a strong, growing, stable economy in Asia. And I am encouraged by what the Prime Minister said last night and heartened, and we're glad to help, and we hope we will be of some help today. Thank you very much.”