Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

• An overview of the Cabinet meeting
• The appointment for the position of Chief Director of the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would first like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 13 general and other measures and also the promulgation of a treaty, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister of the Environment made a statement concerning the revision of the Basic Policy on Enhancing Motivation on Environmental Conservation and Promoting Environmental Education. Also, I made a statement concerning personnel affairs relating to the heads of special companies, and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism made a statement concerning personnel affairs relating to the heads of independent administrative agencies.

In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Minister Motohisa Furukawa and Minister Masaharu Nakagawa made a statement concerning the Action Plan for Economic Revival through Women's Active Participation, respectively.

I have one more announcement. At today's Cabinet meeting, the Cabinet approved, as the successor of the late Mr. Teruhisa Kanai, the Chief Director of the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation, who passed away in February of this year, the appointment of Mr. Masanori Fukuyama, the Deputy Director, effective July 1, 2012, following the open recruitment and selection process, among other processes.

Q&As

• Consideration on deploying Ospreys of the U.S. forces to Okinawa

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Last night, I believe a meeting concerning Osprey among relevant ministers was held, also with the participation of the Prime Minister. I believe the timing is fast approaching for what would be the standard timing for the United States (U.S.) Government to notify Japan, the host country, if there are any changes to the deployment and so on. At this present stage, what are the thoughts of the Japanese Government regarding its response?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: This is just as Minister of Defense Satoshi Morimoto stated yesterday on his way out of the Prime Minister's Office. The U.S. Government is continuing to now review the specific timing of the deployment and so on. As the details come to light regarding the timing of the deployment and so on, the Government will provide careful explanations, also for reassuring the people of the relevant municipalities. That is my comment at this moment in time.

REPORTER: Is one of the options of the Japanese Government now to request a slight postponement of the deployment plan?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: So, as I said, as details come to light on such information as the timing of the deployment of Osprey, the Japanese Government will provide explanations to the local communities. Prior to this, currently, we are at the stage of obtaining a variety of information. And while the findings of the investigation of the accidents have not yet been released, last week, in Washington DC, at the request of the Japanese Government, Japanese officials were briefed on the progress of the investigation, which I understand is slightly unprecedented. This was reported yesterday by the Minister of Defense, and I understand that the Minister of Defense will disclose the contents in the near future.

(Abridged)