Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The terrorist attack in Tunisia
• The Japan-China relations

REPORTER: Could you please comment on the act of terrorism in Tunisia, including an overview of the incident and information on the safety of Japanese nationals?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: A terrorist attack occurred on March 18 in Tunis, the capital of the Republic of Tunisia. As soon as the Government became aware of the occurrence of the attack, we immediately established an emergency response headquarters on the ground, headed by the Japanese Ambassador to Tunisia. That was at 9 pm, Japan time, on March 18. In addition to efforts to confirm the safety of Japanese nationals in Tunis, at 7 am this morning, we established a liaison office at the Prime Minister’s Office and held consultations among director-general-level officials from the relevant ministries and agencies, led by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management. We are working hard to gather the relevant information. At this point in time, we are aware of three deaths and three people injured. Japan prays for the victims and expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims. The Government of Japan is greatly shocked and outraged by the terrorist attack and firmly condemns these despicable acts of terrorism. Japan will continue to devote maximum efforts to combatting terrorism in cooperation with the international community.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: If I may change the subject, Japan and China are holding the 13th Japan-China Security Dialogue, the first such dialogue in four years. What kind of discussions are you hoping to see regarding the operation of a maritime communication mechanism and other relevant matters?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The 13th Japan-China Security Dialogue is currently underway at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are placing much emphasis on this dialogue as a means of enhancing mutual trust between Japan and China in the field of security. Through this dialogue we hope to hold a frank and sincere exchange of views on both countries’ security and defense policies, and on the situation in the region, thus enhancing the sense of trust between our two countries.