Home > News > Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary > January 2013 > Wednesday, January 16, 2013 (AM)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 (AM)
Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)
[Provisional Translation]
Q&As
- An emergency landing of a Boeing 787 jet at Takamatsu Airport
- The Senkaku Islands
REPORTER: This morning a Boeing 787 jet en route from Yamaguchi Ube Airport to Haneda Airport reported the presence of smoke and made an emergency landing at Takamatsu Airport. What information does the Government currently have about this incident? Also, given the recent spate of incidents surrounding the 787, including a fuel leak, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is conducting an investigation. What will the Government's response be going forward?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, to give you the facts of the matter, this morning at around 8:25 am, All Nippon Airways flight number ANA692, a Boeing 787, en route from Yamaguchi Ube Airport to Haneda Airport, reported while flying over Iyo-Mishima in Ehime Prefecture that smoke had been detected in the cockpit. An emergency landing was therefore made at Takamatsu Airport. The passengers and crew of the airplane all deplaned successfully using the emergency inflatable slides, with approximately five persons sustaining light injuries. In response to this accident I hear that MLIT has dispatched personnel to the site. As this is a safety matter that involves people's lives, every effort will be made by MLIT to investigate the matter and ensure safety.
REPORTER: Accordingly to some press reports, the Government is considering the deployment of F-15 fighter jets to Shimojishima Airport in Okinawa Prefecture. Could you tell us the facts behind these reports and also, if it proves to be not possible to persuade Okinawa Prefecture about the necessity of the deployment, what further response will be made for the defense of the Senkaku Islands? If the deployment were not to be made it could leave a gap in defenses, and cause aircraft to take longer to reach the islands.
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: At the current time the Ministry of Defense does not have plans to deploy aircraft to the Sakishima Islands. That is the point that I would like to clearly state.
REPORTER: Do you think it would be possible that such consideration would be given at a future point in time?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: There are absolutely no plans for such deployment at the current time and beyond that I would like to refrain from comment.
(Abridged)
