Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• Former Prime Minister Fukuda's plan to visit China
• The first Monetary Policy Meeting of the Bank of Japan
• North Korea
• Arrangement towards Prime Minister Singh of India's visit to Japan

REPORTER: There is information that from April 6 former Prime Minister Fukuda will attend a forum which will be held in Hainan Province in China and that arrangements are being made for him to meet with President Xi Jinping on this occasion. How does the Government understand the facts? Also, if this meeting is indeed realized, how will the Government be involved? For example, will the Government entrust him with a message?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: Former Prime Minister Fukuda is the Chairman of this forum, which is called the Boao Forum for Asia. This forum will be held in Hainan Province in China from April 5 to 8. The Government is also aware of this. As the Chairman of this Boao Forum, former Prime Minister Fukuda usually holds talks with state leaders participating in the forum every year that it is held. The Government is not yet aware of what kind of meetings will be held this year and whom they will be with. As the Government is not aware of this, no decisions at all have been made regarding what measures will be taken.

REPORTER: The first Monetary Policy Meeting of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) since the appointment of Governor Kuroda will be held from today. The Tokyo Stock Exchange rebounded sharply at the open today but has recently continued to decline. In this context, what does the Government expect from the new monetary easing policy?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: The newly appointed BOJ Governor and Deputy Governors are individuals who concur with Prime Minister Abe's basic policy of bold monetary easing. In light of the nomination and appointment of these individuals, the Government expects that the first Monetary Policy Meeting will promote monetary policies which are in line with this basic policy. I would like to refrain from making any further comments on this matter.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Regarding North Korea, this morning, North Korea did not issue permits to workers of companies from the Republic of Korea (ROK) for entering and leaving the Kaesong Industrial Zone that is jointly operated by the ROK and North Korea. As a result, the workers have been forced to wait to enter the zone. What are the views of the Japanese Government regarding these moves by North Korea, which has repeatedly conducted provocative actions in a backlash against the series of U.S.-ROK joint military drills and so forth?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: First, the Government is aware of the media reports regarding the developments in the Kaesong Industrial Zone. Japan will monitor these moves while coordinating with other countries. In any case, with regard to North Korea, Japan will work together with other countries to take responses.

REPORTER: There are media reports stating that according to sources in India, arrangements are being made for Prime Minister Singh's visit to Japan and a summit meeting to take place at the end of May. Is my understanding correct that the Japanese Government is making arrangements to hold a summit meeting at the end of May?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: The Governments of Japan and India have long continued to take turns visiting each other's countries every year, which I believe dates back to the first term of Prime Minister Abe, that is, to the previous Abe Cabinet. Prime Minister Singh of India's visit to Japan was scheduled for November of last year. However, the visit was postponed due to the political circumstances in Japan. Since then, the two sides have continued to coordinate the dates. At this time, Japan and India are making arrangements towards realizing Prime Minister Singh's visit to Japan by the end of May.