Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• Prime Minister's plan to visit Poland, the U.K., and Ireland

Prime Minister Abe, circumstances permitting, is scheduled to visit the Republic of Poland, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland from June 15, returning to Japan on June 20. In Poland, the Prime Minister will hold a summit meeting with the four countries of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, which comprise the regional cooperation framework of the Visegrád Group (V4). This will be the first ever "V4+Japan" summit meeting. Bilateral meetings with each country are also planned. Through these meetings it is hoped that the good relations that Japan shares with these four countries of Eastern Europe, with which we share common values, can be further strengthened. In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend the G8 Lough Erne Summit in Northern Ireland. It is anticipated that the G8 countries will engage in discussions on a broad range of issues including the global economy and political situation. Prime Minister Abe intends to contribute actively to G8 discussions, introducing Japan's economic policies and reporting on the outcomes of the fifth Tokyo Internal Conference on African Development (TICAD V). In addition, in London the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with globally influential economic figures from the United Kingdom, where he will make an address concerning the economic and fiscal policies of the Abe administration, including growth strategy, with the aim of sending a message out to the world about Japan's revitalization. The visit to Ireland is at the invitation of the Irish Government and will be the first time for a serving Japanese prime minister to visit the country. Given that Ireland holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of this year, the Japan-Ireland summit meeting will discuss the strengthening of Japan-EU relations as well as bilateral relations.

Q&As

• The Monetary Policy Meeting of the Bank of Japan
• Discussion on Africa at the upcoming G8 Summit
• Japan-Czech Republic relations (nuclear power generation technologies)

REPORTER: The Monetary Policy Meeting of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) today upgraded its assessment of the Japanese economy and decided to maintain monetary policy as it currently stands. Can I ask for the reaction of the Government to this decision?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware that the Monetary Policy Meeting of the BOJ today decided to maintain its recently introduced policy of quantitative and qualitative monetary easing and the BOJ will conduct money market operations so that the monetary base will increase at an annual pace of about 60-70 trillion yen. With regard to the details of the decision, I do not think that the Government is in a position to comment on decisions made by the BOJ regarding methods of monetary policy.

REPORTER: The Monetary Policy Meeting did not implement any response measures to control volatility in the long-term interest rate, resulting in the share price index dropping. What is your analysis of this decision?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The specific methods of monetary policy implementation are left to the BOJ to decide, and the Government trusts that Governor Kuroda and the other officials at the BOJ will do their jobs.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: You have just mentioned that the Prime Minister will be introducing the outcomes of TICAD V at the G8 Summit. However, with regard to Africa, it is being said that China is engaged in a process of neo-colonization, so what points does the Government intend to stress in G8 discussions on Africa? Will investment in Africa be covered?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Among the leaders of the G8 countries it is probably Prime Minister Abe who has most recently met with most of the leaders of Africa. Therefore I imagine that the Prime Minister will explain the outcomes of TICAD V and the meetings he held with African leaders, sharing the views that he heard with other G8 leaders.

REPORTER: There have been a number of press reports that suggest that during the visit to Poland the Government will conclude an agreement or memorandum of understanding with the Czech Republic concerning the export of nuclear power generation technologies by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, which is a part of the Toshiba Group. What is the outlook for such an agreement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware of the press reports that you mentioned, but I have received a report that at the current point the plan for nuclear power generation is still at the bidding stage and the contractor for the project has not yet been decided. However, as I have stated previously in response to your questions concerning the export of nuclear power generation technologies, the Government has a strong desire to provide nuclear power generation technologies, which have the world's highest level of safety, while understanding the situation and intentions of export partners.