Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• The incident in which Japanese nationals have been taken hostage in Algeria

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would first of all like to read a statement.

The incident in Algeria, in which Japanese nationals have been taken hostage, is of paramount concern to the Government of Japan and one that is absolutely unforgivable. While maintaining close contact with Prime Minister Abe, who is currently visiting countries in Southeast Asia, the Government continues to make every effort to gather local intelligence about this incident. At 9:00 am this morning I made a telephone call to Prime Minister Abe in Viet Nam and reported the most up-to-date information to him. Prime Minister Abe noted that this incident is one in which nationals of multiple countries have been taken hostage and therefore requires international cooperative efforts. From this perspective it is necessary for the Government to work in unison towards a solution. The Prime Minister has given instructions for a Response Headquarters for the Japanese Nationals Abducted in Algeria to be established, which he will head personally. The first meeting of the Response Headquarters was held a short while ago. Prime Minister Abe had given direct instructions to Deputy Prime Minister Aso that he should act as temporary head of the Response Headquarters in the Prime Minister's absence.

At the current time there is various conflicting information concerning the situation faced by the hostages and also about the armed group responsible. From the perspective of enhancing intelligence gathering and strengthening Japan's efforts, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchiis scheduled to arrive in Algeria today. At the same time, the Government is maintaining close cooperation with related countries, including the countries directly concerned. From late last night until the early hours of this morning Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida engaged in ministerial telephone talks with the Foreign Minister of Algeria, during which he stated that the current situation was of paramount concern to the Government of Japan and that the act of hostage-taking is absolutely unforgivable, also requesting the cooperation of Algeria in achieving the early resolution of the incident. The Minister for Foreign Affairs also held ministerial telephone talks with the Foreign Minister of Norway, in which it was confirmed that close cooperation would be maintained. In addition, Japan is maintaining close cooperation with other countries concerned, including the United Kingdom, France and the United States. Ministerial telephone talks with the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom and France are currently in the process of being coordinated. In particular, in order to confirm cooperation concerning this incident between Japan and the United States, it is planned that Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida will go ahead with his visit to the United States as originally scheduled. The Government will continue to deal with the situation in accordance with the Prime Minister's instructions and placing the lives of those people affected first and foremost, as well as making every effort to enhance information gathering and gain a full grip on the situation. The Government will maintain close cooperation with related countries, including those directly concerned, and will work towards the earliest possible release of the Japanese nationals being held.

With that, I will conclude my opening statement.

Q&As

• The incident in which Japanese nationals have been taken hostage in Algeria
• Government's response to the operation of Boeing 787 aircraft
• The 18th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
• Former Prime Minister Hatoyama's visit to China

REPORTER: Has the Government been able to confirm the specifics about the Japanese nationals who have been taken hostage, such as their safety, how many people are involved and their names?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware that there is various information circulating, however, this information has yet to be properly confirmed and therefore I would like to refrain from commenting in detail.

REPORTER: According to JGC Corporation, there is information to suggest that of the 17 Japanese nationals working at the site, 3 have been taken hostage. Can you confirm this information?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to refrain from going any further and commenting on this matter.

REPORTER: Does that mean to say that you are aware of the situation, but cannot announce it as yet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The fact is that there is various information circulating and the Government is doing its utmost to confirm the information and place maximum priority on ensuring the safety and the lives of those affected.

REPORTER: At the current point are you aware of what the demands of the perpetrators are?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I have said, there is various information circulating, and given this background it is not yet confirmed just what kind of group has perpetrated the hostage taking. Therefore I would like to refrain from commenting with regard to this point too.

REPORTER: What does the Government know about the kind of situation the Japanese nationals are being placed under in Algeria?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We are currently gathering various information. However, I would like to refrain from commenting about the details.

REPORTER: Does this mean that as of now there is no definite information available?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Given the various information that is circulating, the Government is currently concentrating its measures on giving the utmost priority to saving the lives and ensuring the safety of those involved.

REPORTER: You have mentioned that the Government's foremost priority is to protect the lives of the Japanese nationals involved and you have also noted that you are cooperating with related countries. In these countries there are some opinions that a strong response should be made, from the perspective of never yielding to terrorism. With regard to that point, what kind of specific cooperation will you be seeking?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I have just stated, the Government's foremost priority is to ensure and confirm the safety and lives of those involved and we will engage in mutual cooperation from that stance. This is the basis for consultations that are being implemented through foreign ministerial telephone talks.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Naturally, the safety of the persons who have been taken hostage is important, but the families of those affected will also be very worried. Is the Government in contact with the families of those involved, or is the Government providing information to the families?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JGC Corporation are engaged in a round-the-clock system of contact and liaison.

REPORTER: I would like to confirm something you said yesterday, concerning the timing of the first reports the Government received about this incident, as there seem to be some discrepancies in the times that have been reported. According to some press reports the first report the Government received was after 4:00 pm. Could you confirm the correct time at which the first report was received? Also, the Abe Cabinet has been positioned as a crisis breakthrough Cabinet. I believe that this incident could constitute the first full-fledged crisis that the Abe Cabinet is facing and there was a small time lag between the Government gaining the information and a press conference being held. Could you tell us the reason for the delay and what crisis response measures were taken in the intervening period?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The timings that I stated in my press conference yesterday were accurate. In addition, as this is a matter that concerns human hostages it was initially treated as a matter for non-disclosure, as measures were being robustly implemented by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary and the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management. During this time the incident was gradually becoming clear through various press reports and the Government was actually engaged in a response based on placing the utmost priority on the safety of human lives, which included contacting JGC Corporation and considering whether it was appropriate for the Government to make an announcement or not. As it was also the case that the company did not want its name to be disclosed to the press initially, the Government press conference was held after all such matters had been confirmed. However, what I would like you to understand is that in the time following the first report received by the Government, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs implemented a robust response to the situation.

REPORTER: Earlier you stated that the first meeting of the Response Headquarters has been held. Could you please share with us what exactly was communicated and what exactly was discussed? Could you also let us know of any future scheduled meetings if any have already been fixed? I believe that Prime Minister Abe is currently conducting a series of overseas visits. Is there any possibility that his schedule could change?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: With regard to the meeting of the Response Headquarters, as I stated earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Aso is currently acting as temporary head of the Response Headquarters due to the Prime Minister's absence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the police reported on the current situation while I shared how the Government is responding to the issue. It was confirmed that the entire Government will develop a mutual understanding of the situation, that we will make every possible effort to ensure the safety and release of those affected, and that we will do everything within our power to address the situation. Moving forward, we are planning to hold working-level meetings as necessary. Concerning the Prime Minister's scheduled visits, for now we anticipate that they will continue as planned.

REPORTER: The group responsible for the hostage-taking released a statement via a wire service agency saying that their actions are in retaliation to the intervention carried out by French troops. With this in mind, is it an option for Japan to request that a counter-terrorism response is not taken until the hostages are released?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I will not answer the question as it would require me to make the assumption that the report is correct.

I would like to clarify something regarding a question raised earlier. The initial report was received at around 4:30 pm and the Response Headquarters headed by the Director-General of the Consular Affairs Bureau was formed at 4:40 pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At 5:00 pm the Response Headquarters headed by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management was formed at the Prime Minister's Office.

REPORTER: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered American airlines to discontinue the operation of Boeing 787 aircraft. The FAA has called on the aviation authorities of other nations to also take similar measures. I believe that Japan will also take some measures following the actions of the FAA. I understand that the singling out of a specific type of aircraft like this has not really occurred before; could you share with us how the Japanese Government will respond?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, as I said yesterday, four officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism have been sent to the site and are currently investigating the incident. At the same time, officials have also been sent to ANA and the Government has instructed them to develop immediate measures that can be taken as soon as possible. I understand that the investigation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has confirmed that there was a malfunctioning of the main battery of the electrical room near the front of the aircraft. As was stated in the question, the FAA ordered the discontinuation of the aircraft's operation. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is also planning to make a similar order.

REPORTER: I would like to ask a question on a different topic. Today marks the 18th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. In the affected regions, there have been issues that have only been revealed through the passage of time. There have also been concerns that memories of the disaster are fading and there have been calls to improve laws to enable long term support. With concerns building for a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough, the redevelopment of the overall legal system is becoming critical. Could you share with us your personal thoughts on this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As we all know, 18 years have passed since the earthquake in which over 6,400 people lost their precious lives and catastrophic devastation was inflicted on the Hanshin-Awaji region. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere condolences for the tragic loss of life. I acknowledge that during the past 18 years because of the remarkable efforts of the local communities, public organizations and other related parties in the region, the area has made an outstanding recovery. I understand that the Government still needs to do more, particularly in the areas of assisting elderly people affected by the earthquake and assisting the region's development. I also believe that we need to learn from the earthquake and ensure that damage caused by predicted large-scale natural disasters is minimized in the interest of reducing and preventing disaster.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Could you share with us your view on the influence that the comments made by former Prime Minister Hatoyama during a meeting in Beijing with the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China may have on Japan-China relations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: His comments clearly contradict the stance of the Japanese Government. It is extremely disappointing and regretful that these comments were made by a former Prime Minister of Japan.