[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a press occasion at the Prime Minister's Office.

In regard to the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Prime Minister said,

"Many innocent civilians became the victims of chemical weapons in Syria once again. The entire international community was deeply shocked to witness the horrible tragedy where even young children were killed. The act is extremely inhumane and also violates United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
The Government of Japan supports the determination of the U.S. Government that it will never allow the spread and use of chemical weapons. We understand that the United States took the action in order to prevent further aggravation of the situation.
While the threat of weapons of mass destructions has become increasingly serious in East Asia as well, Japan highly values President Trump's strong commitment to maintenance of the international order and to the peace and security of its allies and the world.
Japan will steadily continue to play its role for the peace and stability of the world while cooperating with the international community including the United States."