Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The Prime Minister Abe's visit to Turkey
• The negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and Turkey
• The NSC special committee
• The plan to discharge fuel from the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

REPORTER: I understand that the Prime Minister recently visited Turkey again, which is unusual because it was the second time in six months. What are your thoughts on the outcome of this trip from a diplomatic perspective?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: Historically, Turkey and Japan have shared highly positive and friendly relations. Beginning with the event in the Meiji Era, residents of Kushimoto Town in Wakayama Prefecture, which happens to be where I am from, rescued victims of the Ertug?rul frigate which was shipwrecked on the nearby coast. This incident is still well-remembered in Turkey. More recently, during the Iran-Iraq War, a Turkish Airlines plane rescued Japanese nationals left stranded in Tehran, whilst the Japan Self-Defense Force was unable to go overseas, and despite the fact that it was dangerous for private aircraft to fly in the area. This could very much be seen as a reciprocation of Japan's assistance following the Ertug?rul shipwreck and Japan was extremely grateful for this act. These events have helped us maintain friendly relations and since the Prime Minister visited Turkey in May this year, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Erdog?an have begun to form a very strong personal relationship.

Furthermore, although Japan and Turkey were in competition to host the Olympics, when the Prime Minister Abe visited Turkey in May, he left a powerful impression on the locals during a speech he made. He said that if Istanbul's bid were successful, he would be the first to congratulate them. He then also asked for the Turkish people's best wishes if Tokyo turned out to be the eventual winner. Upon the announcement that Tokyo had won the Olympic bid at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) General Assembly in Buenos Aires, Prime Minister Erdogan graciously approached Prime Minister Abe and hugged him, congratulating him on the successful bid. In this way, Japan and Turkey have enjoyed close relations for the longest time, and it was in this context that Prime Minister Abe recently visited Turkey again to attend the ceremony to mark the opening of the undersea rail service below the Bosphorus Strait. This was indeed a national project for Turkey and Japan was instrumental in its completion, delivering vital technology and official development assistance. This recent visit, only a short time after the previous visit, with the Prime Minister of the successful bid country attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by a competitor who had unfortunately lost the bid to Tokyo, has added a new page to the history of the friendship shared by the two countries that began with the rescue efforts following the Ertug?rul shipwreck and was strengthened during the Iran-Iraq War. I believe that these things have not only contributed to the development of a strong relationship between the two leaders but it has also helped Turkish citizens feel a stronger affinity for Japan. Turkey is expected to have one of the highest growth rates in the region. Turkey also plays a significant role in Islamic affairs and I believe building stronger relationships between both the leaders and citizens of our two nations is the most significant achievement of the recent visit.

REPORTER: I believe that during the Summit Meeting, the topic of negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Japan and Turkey was not broached. How does the Government intend to advance negotiations?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: With regard to EPA negotiations, the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between Japan and the Republic of Turkey was signed by Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister Erdog?an when the Prime Minister visited Turkey in May. The joint declaration states that both countries will endeavor to accelerate the process of reaching a future agreement over the course of official negotiations regarding the Japan-Turkey EPA and to accelerate negotiations on the social security agreement. I believe that, in a sense, the two leaders already came to an agreement clearly back in May as to how negotiations will proceed. The Report of the Joint Study Group for an EPA between the Republic of Turkey and Japan was only recently published at the end of July, so, although a specific  timing of initiation of the negotiations has not yet been determined, the Japan government is currently  studying and discussing based on findings of the report.

REPORTER: Do you mean that the Government is currently determining when to begin preliminary consultations prior to EPA negotiations?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: Well, the Government is currently having discussions about the actual EPA negotiations.

REPORTER: Today a meeting of the NSC Special Committee was held. During this meeting Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga was asked a number of questions concerning the special intelligence protection bill. However, as Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga is not the minister responsible for the bill, the Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office answered all the questions instead. I understand the Senior Vice Minister answered these question because Minister Inada, who is in charge of the bill, was attending another meeting. I am not saying that it was inappropriate for the Senior Vice Minister to answer those questions, but given that the special intelligence protection bill is closely related to the National Security Council, I believe that Mr. Suga could have answered the questions in his position overseeing the Cabinet as Chief Cabinet Secretary. What are your thoughts on this?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga is responsible for the establishment of the NSC so I believe that while he answered questions concerning the NSC, he deferred answers pertaining to the special intelligence protection bill to those people who are responsible.

REPORTER: Earlier today, the Nuclear Regulation Authority approved the Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) plan to discharge fuel from the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. I understand that this work has inherent risks and given that workers are reported to be exhausted, will the government have any involvement in this work? If so, could you tell us what that involvement would entail?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SEKO: I believe that the removal of the fuel rods from the pool is a critical step towards the future decommissioning of the reactor. Representing the Government, the Nuclear Regulation Authority has been thoroughly assessing the plans submitted by TEPCO. The Nuclear Regulation Authority has been assessing the plan in order to determine if the work can be completed safely. Today's approval came about as a result of this assessment. I believe this is one example of the important role being played by the Government. TEPCO will be leading this undertaking and I therefore expect TEPCO to continue to carry out its responsibility, maintain high morale among the workers, and thoroughly fulfill its roles. I expect that as TEPCO undertakes this work, there may be things for which the Government can provide support. Above all else, I believe that the Nuclear Regulation Authority will first properly conduct an examination of the equipment required to complete the discharge of the spent fuel from the pool.

This is not to say that the Government leaves 100% to TEPCO now that the plan has been approved. Rather, we will closely monitor the steps TEPCO takes and I believe that the Nuclear Regulation Authority has a big role to play.