Home > News > Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary > February 2013 > Wednesday, February 27, 2013 (PM)
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 (PM)
Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)
[Provisional Translation]
Q&As
- A tentative ruling by a court in the ROK about a Buddha statue stolen from a temple in Nagasaki
- Government responses to the nuclear test by North Korea
(Abridged)
REPORTER: Last year a statue of the Buddha was stolen from a temple in Nagasaki and recovered in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Recently a court in the ROK has handed down a tentative ruling preventing the return of the statue to Japan. Could I ask for the reaction and response of the Government to this ruling?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware of the press reports concerning this matter. The details are currently being confirmed, and the response of the Government will be to use diplomatic channels to request the swift return of this cultural asset, based upon international law.
REPORTER: In your recent responses in the Diet Budget Affairs Committee, you mentioned that the Government is considering further new sanctions against North Korea, including denying reentry to Japan of technicians and engineers. Could you tell us specifically what measures you are considering and the current status of considerations?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: With regard to the recent nuclear test and missile launch, as well as the abduction issue, the Government is requesting North Korea to thoroughly implement and abide by the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. With regard to the recent nuclear test, various consultations are taking place at the United Nations concerning a resolution and Japan will move to thoroughly implement any sanctions that are decided in this international forum. At the same time, the Government has implemented its own sanctions, namely to deny, in principle, re-entry into Japan of five persons residing in Japan who are positioned to effectively assist North Korean authorities if they leave for North Korea. In addition, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has pointed out that there may actually be technicians and engineers with knowledge of nuclear and missile technologies, who may depart from Japan for North Korea. The Government is therefore considering the expansion of the measure to deny reentry to Japan to include such persons.
