[Provisional translation]
Reporter (Kojima, NHK): Madame Prime Minister, thank you for your time. I am Kojima, with NHK, now serving as the coordinating media outlet. Regarding the Japan-U.S. summit meeting that just took place, I presume that discussions were held across a wide range of areas. Please give us an overview of what you discussed in the meeting and the outcomes.
Also, at the outset of the meeting, it was you who raised the issue of the situation surrounding Iran. I would like to know your reason for doing so, as well as President Trump’s reaction to the Iran situation throughout the meeting as a whole.
Furthermore, concerning the dispatch of vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, which President Trump has been making comments about for the past few days, were you asked directly during the meeting to take action? If you were, please tell us what was requested and how you responded.
In addition, President Trump is scheduled to visit China, and at the beginning of your meeting today he mentioned that he also wanted to discuss China with you. Please tell us what you discussed regarding China during the meeting and whether in the area of security there were any requests for defense spending increases. Furthermore, I would like to know if there was any progress on the second round of investment in the United States based on the Japan-U.S. agreement.
Prime Minister Takaichi: Thank you. First, let me address the situation surrounding Iran. From my side, I clearly conveyed Japan’s position, including the need for the early de-escalation of the situation. We confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue to stay in close communication toward ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and realizing peace and stability in the Middle East, including the stable supply of energy.
In particular, with regard to a stable energy supply, keeping crude oil procurement for Japan and the broader Asian region fully in mind, we confirmed that Japan and the United States will work together to expand the production of U.S. energy. I also conveyed to President Trump that we want to realize a joint project in Japan to stockpile crude oil procured from the United States. This is because diversifying procurement sources will contribute to stable energy supply for Japan and for Asia.
We discussed economic matters next, including critical minerals and energy. We compiled three documents addressing cooperation on concrete critical mineral projects and cooperation on deep-sea mineral resource development including rare-earth mud near the island of Minami-Tori Shima, among other matters.
In the energy sector, we announced a second batch of projects under the Japan-U.S. Strategic Investment Initiative including the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs). Given the rapid increase in global electricity demand, and in light of the current situation, including developments in the Middle East, I believe this is extremely important.
We also discussed various issues concerning China and North Korea and confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue to work in close collaboration. President Trump also expressed his full support for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue. Furthermore, we confirmed that we will jointly and vigorously advance a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
In addition, in the area of security, we agreed to advance a wide range of security cooperation, including the co-development and co-production of missiles, in order to reinforce the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan–U.S. Alliance.
With the international situation undergoing significant changes and uncertainty increasing, a strong Japan-U.S. Alliance is indispensable for maximizing Japan’s national interests. Through today's summit meeting, we were able to confirm many concrete forms of cooperation that will further enhance the quality of the Alliance across a wide range of fields, including the economy, economic security, and national security. Going forward, I will continue to work with President Trump to elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to further heights.
Reporter (Echigo, Jiji Press): I am Echigo, with Jiji Press. Thank you very much for today. Regarding the abductions issue by North Korea, which you mentioned in your response just now, you stated that you obtained full support from President Trump. In this regard, did President Trump indicate, for example, that he would engage directly with North Korea? He has previously made a direct visit. Were there any exchanges concerning how President Trump will engage with North Korea going forward?
Prime Minister Takaichi: As these are diplomatic exchanges, I will not touch on the details. However, I told President Trump that I personally have a very strong desire to meet directly with Chairman Kim Jong Un, and we discussed with each other the process for moving forward on that. President Trump indicated that he would provide cooperation in various ways.
Reporter (Kojima, NHK): What about the dispatch of vessels?
Prime Minister Takaichi: These were sensitive exchanges, but the extraordinary importance of ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was certainly emphasized. However, there are things that Japan can and cannot do within the bounds of our laws, and I provided an unambiguous and detailed explanation on this point.