Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary on the Japan-North Korea Government-level Consultations (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

The Prime Minister has recently provided an outline of the agreement reached at the Japan-North Korea Government-level Consultations and I would like to announce the content of the agreement that was reached between the two sides.

In the consultations North Korea pledged to implement comprehensive and full-scale investigations concerning all Japanese nationals, including the issues on the remains of Japanese nationals who passed away in the territory of North Korea around 1945 and their graveyards, the Japanese nationals left in North Korea, “Japanese spouses,” victims of abduction, and other missing persons.

Based on this pledge, Japan will lift restrictions on visits of persons, special measures of restriction on North Korea regarding the amount of money requiring notification of the export of means of payments and report on the money transfer, the embargo on the entry of North Korea flagged ships with humanitarian purpose into Japanese ports, at the point of time when North Korea establishes the Special Investigation Committee for comprehensive investigations and starts its investigations. These measures will be implemented following investigations and procedures by the relevant ministries and agencies, after having ascertained that North Korea has initiated survey activities. At the Government-level consultations, agreement was also reached on other measures that each side will take. The overall content of the agreement is detailed in the document that has been distributed to you.

In accordance with the agreement that was confirmed at the Government-level consultations, both Japan and North Korea will swiftly move to implement specific measures and will engage in close consultations for that purpose. The Government expects that North Korea will move promptly to implement comprehensive and full-scale investigations that will yield concrete results towards the swift resolution of issues relating to all Japanese persons, including the abduction issue and the return to Japan of the abduction victims.

It will be necessary to closely monitor the process of the actual launch of a special committee and the progress of concrete investigations. Nevertheless, the fact that we were able to gain written confirmation of the clear intention of North Korea to conduct comprehensive and full-scale investigations on all Japanese nationals during the recent Government-level consultations marks an important step forward towards the resolution of wide-ranged issues of interest between Japan and North Korea.

Based on the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, and in accordance with the Government’s consistent policy to comprehensively resolve outstanding issues, including the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues; to settling the unfortunate past; and to aim for normalization of relations; the Government is determined to engage in vigorous consultations with North Korea. With particular regard to the abduction issue, the Government will continue to call strongly on North Korea to take concrete actions, based on the intention of completely resolving this issue during the term of the Abe administration.

Q&As

REPORTER: I believe that gaining assurance that substantive reinvestigation is actually undertaken will be a significant challenge. At the current point has Japan received assurances from North Korea that verifiable reinvestigation will be undertaken?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In the current consultations Ambassador Song Il Ho, as the representative of the North Korean side, made a clear statement to the effect that once North Korea has established a special investigation committee and actually started reinvestigation work, it will inform Japan of the firm picture of the organization, composition and person in charge. Japan will firmly assess what kind of a committee is established by North Korea in terms of its organization and composition and also whether it is conducting the reinvestigation. Once this has been confirmed Japan will partially lift the sanctions we have imposed on North Korea.

REPORTER: At the current point in time, what is the understanding of the Japanese side as to how the special committee of North Korea will be run? Does the Government intend to seek assurances by sending someone from the Japanese side to join the committee and engage in the investigation together?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Regarding North Korea’s reinvestigation, we have received an explanation that a representative from North Korea will inform the Japanese side of the firm picture of the organization, composition and person in charge. North Korea has also indicated that it will continually update the Japanese side on the status of the investigations as matters arise. In order to implement the reinvestigation earnestly and make concrete progress the North Korean side will form a special committee with special authority that allows it to implement reinvestigation across all organizations. North Korea will continually update the Japanese side on the progress of the reinvestigation and the two sides will engage in consultations concerning this progress. Furthermore, Japan will establish the necessary structure so as to directly confirm the investigation results.

The reinvestigation will be conducted in regions beyond Japan’s sovereignty and the Government considers that it will be important to have a structure in place that will enable us to confirm that North Korea’s reinvestigation is being conducted in an effective manner.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Is there a deadline for the reinvestigation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As of now, we have not decided on a time for the conclusion of the reinvestigation. However, the measures to establish the special committee will be set in place swiftly. Although nothing specific has been decided regarding a deadline, we expect that measures will be swiftly set in place to enable the reinvestigation to begin in about three weeks’ time. The Government will engage in consultations concerning the status of progress of the reinvestigation. I do not believe this is a process that will take several years or some other lengthy period of time.

REPORTER: My first question is by what means will the Government of Japan determine that the reinvestigation has in fact begun? At the same time, Japan has committed to lifting sanctions on North Korea, so in the event that no specific results are forthcoming, how will such measures be handled?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Both sides have made promises. The North Korean side has promised to implement a thorough reinvestigation and the Japanese side has promised to lift sanctions once the special committee is established and engages in reinvestigation work. The progress of the reinvestigation will be reported to the Japanese side as matters arise and a structure will be in place to ensure that the reinvestigation results can be confirmed. It is therefore of the utmost importance that we have in place a structure that allows the Japanese side to confirm the effectiveness of the reinvestigation. I believe this is the direction in which we will proceed.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: To date Japan has implemented sanctions together with the U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in relation to North Korea’s nuclear development and missile issues. However, on this occasion Japan has determined that it will lift sanctions on its own. I believe there is a high possibility that this will raise concern among the U.S. and the ROK. What are your thoughts on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not think that will be the case as the sanctions that are to be lifted are the ones that Japan implemented independently. These sanctions do not affect those that have been imposed by the United Nations and other organizations.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I believe that the four ministers’ meeting was held today. In that meeting, did the Prime Minister make a final political decision on this issue based on the results of the Government-level consultations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: After receiving a report from the officials engaged in the consultations and having heard the opinions of the four ministers the Prime Minister made a decision.

REPORTER: You have just stated that you do not think it is likely that the U.S. and the ROK will raise concerns about the lifting of sanctions. However, there are some people who point out that it could be North Korea’s intention to disrupt the alignment between Japan, the U.S. and the ROK. Can you really say that there are no concerns on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government has of course made a decision after engaging in various coordination activities through diplomatic channels.

REPORTER: One of the special measures that Japan will be lifting is the embargo on the entry of North Korea flagged ships with humanitarian purpose into Japanese ports. In specific terms, what kind of vessels does this refer to? Does it include the Man Gyong Bong vessel?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: It does not include the Man Gyong Bong.

REPORTER: So what kind of vessels would be considered as those for humanitarian purposes?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: My understanding is that it would include situations such as one in which North Koreans residing in Japan would wish to send medical supplies, or similar items, to North Korea.

REPORTER: According to media reports up to this morning, the families of abductees were disappointed to see reports that the consultations had not resulted in any significant progress. I would like to take this opportunity to ask if I am correct to understand that your announcement was good news for the families of the abductees. How will the Government explain this to the families?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: When the four ministers’ meeting ended, the Government contacted each of the families to inform them of what was announced at the press conference. Furthermore, sometime after tomorrow, the Government will have a negotiator who was actually involved in the negotiations thoroughly explain the details of discussions.

REPORTER: How does the Japanese Government analyze the fact that North Korea is changing and softening its attitude?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: North Korea previously insisted that the meeting between Mr. and Mrs. Yokota and their granddaughter had to take place in North Korea. However, recently North Korea has been listening to our side of the argument and we were able to hold the meeting in a third-party country.

Throughout the course of negotiations through to today, the North Korean Government has recognized our position. We were therefore able to come to the agreement we announced. I believe that there are many things that have contributed to North Korea’s new approach to the issue.

REPORTER: I understand that when the two Governments reached an agreement in 2008, a plan for future talks on the Yodo-go hijacking incident was one of the items of agreement. Was this topic discussed during the recent consultations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The North Korean side promised to conduct comprehensive and full-scale investigations on all Japanese nationals, including the issues on the remains of Japanese nationals who passed away in the territory of North Korea around 1945 and their graveyards, the Japanese nationals left in North Korea, “Japanese spouses”, victims of abduction and other missing persons whose possibility of being abducted cannot be ruled out. As such, the Yodo-go hijacking incident would naturally be subject to the investigation.

REPORTER: Item five of the consensus document of North Korea says that if Japanese survivors are found in the course of the investigations, it will notify the status to the Japanese side, and consult with the Japanese side regarding the course of actions toward returning them to Japan. Considering that North Korea insisted that the abduction issue was already resolved, the recent developments seem to indicate a significantly softer and more cooperative attitude. What are the thoughts of the Japanese Government on these changes?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This was the first time that the North Korean Government has shown this kind of attitude. Under the Abe administration, we have engaged in negotiations with North Korea with a strong determination to fully resolve the abduction issue. In this sense, having been able to reach an agreement this time presents us with a great opportunity to achieve our goals. Therefore, we will do everything we can as we move the negotiations forward.

REPORTER: I am certain that throughout the course of negotiations the Government encountered a number of hurdles. Furthermore, even if the North Korean Government promised to reinvestigate the matter, there are no assurances that they will follow through on their commitment. However, the Japanese Government made the decision to hold a press conference today and the Prime Minister agreed to speak to journalists at a doorstep interview. Where does the Government’s confidence, trust and faith in North Korea come from? Can it be attributed to North Korea using phrases such as “despite our previous position on this matter,” or “the course of actions toward returning them to Japan”? Or is it something else?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The points you mentioned, as well as the North Korean Government’s decision to establish a special committee with special authority, are behind our new sense of confidence. Furthermore, North Korea also promised to inform Japan of the organization and the person in charge. We see these promises as something quite different to those of the past because they were much more explicit and practical.

REPORTER: Under item seven of the Japanese Government’s consensus document, it says that Japan will consider, at an appropriate time, to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea from the humanitarian viewpoint. Does the Japanese Government have anything in mind when saying “at an appropriate time,” and what would this humanitarian assistance involve? Would the humanitarian assistance be conditional?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As for the appropriate time, the Japanese Government consistently maintains the policy of settling the outstanding issues of concern, including the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues, in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration. The Japanese Government has continually explored action to take and determined what is most effective in encouraging North Korea to take cooperative and concrete action.

As a result, Japan will consider, at an appropriate time, to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea from the humanitarian viewpoint. However, at this point, we do not have any specific plans for providing humanitarian assistance, nor have we made any decisions.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The two governments formalized the items of agreement by way of a document. Who will sign this document?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Japanese delegates of the Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations that took place between May 26 and 28 reported the details of the discussion upon their return. After that, we held a four ministers’ meeting during which we confirmed that it was an agreement reached by the Japanese and North Korean Governments. Then we announced the details of the agreement.

I must refrain from discussing the specifics of the communication between the two Governments as it is a diplomatic issue, but I have been informed that the Government decided to make today’s announcement after thoroughly confirming that North Korea also stands by the agreement.