Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would first like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 22 general measures and also a draft bill, cabinet orders and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Prime Minister Noda made a statement concerning temporary acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on an overseas visit.

In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Minister Furukawa and Prime Minister Noda made statements concerning the formulation of the Strategy for Rebirth of Japan. Minister Nakagawa made a statement concerning the promotion of measures to create an environment that enables male personnel at Government ministries and agencies to raise children with ease. In addition, I, and also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Environment, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism made statements concerning the Japan Pavilion at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Deputy Prime Minister Okada and the Minister of Finance made statements concerning the revision of the salaries of executives at independent administrative agencies.

Prior to the Cabinet meeting today, a meeting of the Okinawa Policy Council was held, which was also attended by the Prime Minister. At the meeting the Minister of State for Okinawa Affairs provided an explanation about the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of Okinawa, based on the revised Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of Okinawa. In response, Governor Nakaima of Okinawa Prefecture expressed his gratitude for the formulation of the basic policy and requested further assistance. At the end of the meeting, I made a statement that the Cabinet would make concerted efforts to work closely with Okinawa Prefecture to promote and further advance the development of Okinawa.

The next item I have to report concerns personnel matters. As of today, May 11, the former commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, Mr. Hiroshi Mizohata, has been appointed as a Special Advisor to the Cabinet, and has just a little while ago received his letter of appointment from the Prime Minister. Mr. Mizohata served as commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency from January 2010 to March this year and has engaged diligently in efforts to develop Japan's tourism administration. Given the fact that he has a great deal of expertise and knowledge in the field of tourism, he will be asked to provide the Prime Minister with information and advice concerning the promotion of the New Growth Strategy, in particularly the realization of Japan as a tourism nation.

I have some more details to add concerning the Japan Pavilion at the Rio+20 Conference I mentioned earlier, which was brought up in discussions after the Cabinet meeting. The Rio+20 Conference is scheduled to be held in June in Rio de Janeiro, given that this year is the landmark 20th anniversary since the first Earth Summit was held there in 1992. The conference is expected to be attended by many leaders of governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and members of the private sector, who will discuss issues and measures to be taken for the economy, society, and environment over the next ten years. It has been decided that in order to promote to the world Japan's experience and technologies in the environmental sector, the government and the private sector will cooperate to install a Japan Pavilion at the Rio+20 conference. In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, I stated that the Government should participate actively in this important conference and that the Government should also support the creation of the Japan Pavilion. All ministers concerned also echoed these statements.

I would also like to report on the schedule and other matters relating to the expert hearings on the Imperial Household system, based on the document that has been distributed to you. The fifth hearing is scheduled to take place on May 21, and at this hearing we will be seeking opinions from Professor Yuji Otabe of Shizuoka University of Welfare and Professor Yoshitaka Shima of Waseda University. The schedule and other matters relating to the sixth hearing and thereafter will be informed to you when they are decided. For further details about this matter, please direct your questions to the Office for the Preparation of the Revision of the Imperial House Act within the Cabinet Secretariat.

Q&As

• PKO activities in Haiti by currently deployed Japanese Self-Defense Forces (in relation to some press reports about the withdrawal)

(Abridged)

REPORTER: According to some press report, the Government has decided to withdraw personnel who are currently participating in peacekeeping operations (PKO) in Haiti. What are the facts of this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I am aware of the press reports, but there is no truth to the claims that a policy has been decided to withdraw personnel by the end of the fiscal year.

REPORTER: You have just mentioned that there is no truth to reports that a withdrawal policy has been decided for the end of the fiscal year. However, I believe it is also a fact that needs in Haiti are decreasing, so are you planning to hold a meeting of related ministers in the near future to discuss a withdrawal policy?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: You have just used the term "near future," and there are no current plans to hold such a meeting in the "near future." It is a fact that the current implementation plan is scheduled to conclude on January 31, 2013, which includes of the period required for possible withdrawal of PKO personnel. In addition, with regard to your point about the decreasing amount of work for PKO personnel, according to information from Haiti itself, these personnel are still engaged in various activities, utilizing their expertise as members of an engineering unit. These activities include maintenance of rivers, removal of debris, repair and maintenance of roads and the building of elementary schools. I believe that these activities are highly evaluated and appreciated by the international community, including both the United Nations and the government of Haiti itself.

(Abridged)

I would like to add some further details about PKO activities in Haiti. I just stated that the current implementation plan is scheduled to conclude on January 31, 2013, including of the period required for possible withdrawal of personnel. The future activities of PKO personnel in Haiti will be considered based on such factors as the status of reconstruction in Haiti, the development of discussion at the United Nations and the outcomes of activities implemented by the Self-Defense Forces. Although there are no immediate plans to engage in consideration and assessment, it is on the basis of these factors that the PKO activities will be considered.

(Abridged)