Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The situation in Syria
• The Financial Statements Statistics of Corporations by Industry

REPORTER: I would like to ask a question concerning the situation in Syria. U.S. President Barack Obama has expressed his intention to go ahead with military action after gaining Congressional approval. Could you share with us the Japanese Government's thoughts on the President's decision?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly as for the Syrian situation, the turmoil in the country since March 2011 has resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 civilians and it is believed that more than 2 million people have fled as refugees. We have great concern for the current situation in Syria. Responsibility for the deterioration of the situation clearly lies with the Assad government, which shows no regard for the worsening of the humanitarian situation, Furthermore, we believe that it is extremely likely  that chemical weapons were used in Syria. We also believe that the use of chemical weapons, which are weapons of mass destruction, should not be permitted under any circumstances on humanitarian grounds. Japan will address this issue in close cooperation with the U.S. and the broader international community. As for the announcement by President Obama, we view it as an expression of the President's grave determination and Japan will keep a close eye on proceedings in the U.S. Congress. We will continue to do everything we can to collect, analyze and assess information in order to improve the situation while cooperating with the U.S. and the broader international community.

REPORTER: Could you share with us how Japan will respond if Congressional approval is granted and the U.S. proceeds with military action? Will Japan be in support of the action, or could you inform us as to how discussions are progressing?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: President Obama stated that he will seek Congressional approval prior to proceeding with military action and therefore we will closely monitor Congressional deliberations. I believe that I should not answer any question in relation to a hypothetical situation.

REPORTER: Please allow me to ask a question about the response of the Japanese Government at this juncture. The Obama Administration raised the possibility of conducting military intervention after concluding that the al-Assad regime had used chemical weapons. I am seeking clarification, but am I right to understand that the Japanese Government also concluded that the al-Assad regime used chemical weapons? Is my understanding correct?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I said earlier, we believe there is no doubt that chemical weapons were used in Syria. We also believe that the use of chemical weapons should never be permitted on humanitarian grounds. Currently, we are collecting and analyzing information from various sources so as to determine who was responsible for the use of the weapons while working in close cooperation with other nations.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: In relation to the chemical weapons, Secretary of State John Kerry presented new evidence showing that sarin was used. Could you tell us if Japan has been informed of this and could you also share with us the Government's views on the use of sarin?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We have been receiving information as necessary from the U.S. Government but due to the nature of the situation I cannot disclose any details.

REPORTER: Please allow me to ask another question concerning the response of the Japanese Government. During a press conference last week you mentioned Japanese Government support for marginalized people or refugees. Could you share with us more specific details such as the timing or scale of the support or any other details that have been discussed?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Japanese Government has been providing assistance to refugees via international organizations and we are determined to respond as necessary and strengthen that assistance.

REPORTER: I understand it is possible that President Obama will proceed with a military strike even if Congressional approval is not granted. In determining how to respond, could you tell us if the Japanese Government places more weight on the decision of the U.S. President or on the decision of Congress?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Japan is currently collecting and analyzing information from various sources and in light of this I will refrain from commenting on hypothetical situations.

REPORTER: I would like to ask a question concerning the Financial Statements Statistics of Corporations by Industry (Ok), which was released earlier today. The report showed that although there was only a slight increase of 0.02%, capital investment increased year on year. Could you share with us your thoughts on this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The report revealed that during the April to June quarter this year sales experienced a year-on-year decrease, which has now been the case for five consecutive quarters, but the decrease was less than in previous periods. Furthermore, the seasonally-adjusted quarterly comparison has increased for two consecutive quarters. Additionally, ordinary profits recorded have increased year-on-year for six consecutive quarters, and the seasonally-adjusted quarterly comparison has increased for four consecutive quarters. As for capital investment, as you just mentioned, the year-on-year comparison revealed that the negative trend was reversed for the first time in three quarters. The seasonally-adjusted quarterly comparison has increased for three consecutive quarters. In light of this I believe that corporate earnings have improved and that we are seeing an upward trend in capital investment. I believe that the current economic situation in Japan is certainly recovering and I expect that the improvement of corporate earnings will lead directly to an increase in household incomes and investment and ultimately result in economic recovery so that this trend toward sustainable recovery allows Government policy to work effectively.

(Abridged)