Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER:Could you tell us about the status since this morning's press conference of the people who are considered to be defectors from North Korea, and what sort of response is being made to the situation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA:Yesterday at shortly after 9:00am, as an initial procedure the people from the vessel were requested to complete an application for temporary asylum and disembarkation permission. At 11:20am today provisional disembarkation permission was granted. The nine people were then given provisional leave to disembark today, following questioning on the patrol vessel of the Japan Coast Guard. I have heard that from now the Ministry of Justice is planning to investigate in further detail the background to this matter and the various circumstances. After disembarking in Kanazawa I hear that the nine people are currently in transit, flying from Komatsu Airport to Omura Immigration Center in Nagasaki Prefecture.

(Abridged)