Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• An overview of the Cabinet meeting
• The action program toward making Japan a tourism-oriented country

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 13 general measures, the promulgation of legislation, a draft bill, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries made a statement on the fiscal 2012 Annual Report on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas in Japan, and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism made statements concerning the fiscal 2013 White Paper on Greater Tokyo, fiscal 2013 White Paper on Land, and the fiscal 2013 White Paper on Tourism.

I have a statement on the action program toward making Japan a tourism-oriented country. Today, the second meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Japan as a Tourism-Oriented Country was held, and it compiled an action program toward making Japan a tourism-oriented country. During the meeting, the Prime Minister made statements about visas for tourists from ASEAN countries, including visa exemptions for the citizens of Thailand and Malaysia, the creation of a multiple-entry visa for citizens of Viet Nam and the Philippines, and the extension of the period of stay for holders of multiple-entry visas from Indonesia, all by this summer. The Prime Minister also made statements on all-government efforts to promote the Japan brand overseas, efforts to cement Japan's position as the number one location for the holding of international conferences in Asia, and other matters. Moving forward, we will strongly promote policy in line with this action program, toward the realization of Japan as a tourism-oriented country full of attractions. For further details, I ask that you inquire with the Office of Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretaries.

Q&As

• Japanese policy toward Syria

REPORTER: There is talk that Prime Minister Abe will announce support for anti-government factions in Syria at the G8. I believe that such an announcement would bring Japan in line with the policies of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and other countries, but I would like to again hear about the significance of this.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, coordination is currently underway on the specific statements to be made by the Prime Minister at the G8. That said, coordination is being carried out with the thought that if there is the opportunity, we would like to communicate to the international community appropriate information about the policy of the Japanese Government toward Syria.

REPORTER: Chief Cabinet Secretary, just a point of confirmation - you said that coordination is underway on whether there will be an announcement at the G8, but does that mean that coordination is also underway on whether Japan will join the United States and the United Kingdom in offering support for anti-government factions in Syria, or are you proceeding in that direction?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We are currently in the process of coordination with regard to what will be specifically communicated to the international community at the G8. The Japanese Government believes that there is a need to coordinate and cooperate with the support groups of the anti-government factions that are actually administrating local areas and with local NGOs. We are thinking that through NGOs and other partners that we can trust, we will offer support limited to that which cannot be diverted for military uses in fields that do not link to the escalation of the conflict. This is what we are currently considering.

(Abridged)