Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

• An overview of the Cabinet meeting and appointment of Senior Vice Ministers, Parliament Secretaries, and Special Advisers to the Prime Minister

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. Today, the meeting approved one general measure and personnel decisions. With regard to the personnel decisions, I would like to explain the decisions for the Senior Vice Ministers, the Parliamentary Secretaries, and the Special Advisors to the Prime Minister. At today's Cabinet meeting, the Senior Vice Ministers, the Parliamentary Secretaries, and the Special Advisors to the Prime Minister were decided, as they appear in the list which has already been distributed to you. The attestation ceremony of the Senior Vice Ministers will be held from 4:30 pm today, and the first meeting of the Senior Vice Ministers is scheduled to be held from 7:20 pm. Also, the letter of assignment for the Parliamentary Secretaries will be given from 8:20 pm, and the first meeting of the Parliamentary Secretaries will be held from 8:35 pm. The letter of assignment for the Special Advisors to the Prime Minister will be given thereafter from 8:55 pm.

Q&As

• The role of Special Advisers to the Prime Minister

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I would like to ask about the Special Advisors to the Prime Minister. What was the aim of their appointments? For example, Special Advisor Nagashima used to serve as a foreign policy and security aide and Special Advisor Tezuka as the head of the Secretaries to the Prime Minister. In what role will the new Special Advisors be serving?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The Cabinet decided on the Special Advisors, which consist of three types. Several Special Advisors are in charge of coordinating among the ministries and agencies regarding important policies, among other tasks. There is one Special Advisor who is in charge of such tasks as the administrative reform and the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems. Also, there are two Special Advisors, one from the House of Representatives and one from the House of Councillors, who are in charge of politician-led policy management and Diet affairs. These are their broad roles. I believe later on, after their work gets underway, the various work pertaining to the Cabinet or work of supporting the Prime Minister will be divided amongst them. Unless their work gets underway to a certain extent, no such division of work takes place. This has been my experience since September of last year.

REPORTER: If I may confirm, then you are saying that at this stage it has not been decided who will be in charge of foreign policy and who will be in charge of taking care of the Prime Minister's needs and so on?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Those roles have not been decided.

(Abridged)