Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• The overview of the Cabinet meeting
• With regard to electricity supply and demand measures for the winter season
• The appointment of an Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet Meeting. The meeting approved 10 general measures, as well as the promulgation of legislation, draft bills, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to the respective statements by ministers, the Minister of Defense made a statement concerning the implementation of the transportation of Japanese nationals overseas by Self-Defense Force units; the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the results of the labor force survey, consumer price index and the household budget survey; the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare made a statement concerning the national ratio of jobs to applicants (for October 2013); and Prime Minister Abe made a statement concerning the Bill for the Partial Amendment of the Act for Establishment of the Security Council of Japan and Other Acts. I made a statement concerning the visit to the United States of Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko.

With regard to electricity supply and demand measures for the winter season, the period of power-saving efforts will start from next Monday, December 2, and continue until March 31, 2014. During this period we are requesting that general power saving efforts are made in all regions of Japan with the exception of Okinawa. In addition, for the period from December 9, which is the week after next, to March 7, people in Hokkaido will be requested to make power saving efforts, with numerical target reductions of more than six percent. The Government would appreciate the cooperation of the people of Japan in engaging in voluntary power-saving efforts, in view of the current power supply and demand situation. For details about this matter, please contact the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

I would like to make an announcement about the appointment of an Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister. As you can see from the press handout distributed to you, as of today, Ms. Makiko Yamada has been appointed as an Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister and will shortly be receiving the letter of appointment from the Prime Minister. Ms. Yamada is the first woman to be appointed as Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister. Promoting the active participation of women is a major pillar in advancing the Government's growth strategy and is an issue that the Government seeks to engage in actively. The whole Cabinet will continue to take further actions to promote the appointment of women. The handing of the letter of appointment to Ms. Yamada is scheduled to take place from 11:50am in the special reception room on the fourth floor and will be open for camera coverage.

Q&As

• The appointment of a female Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister
• The issue related to the Air Defense Identification Zone established by China

REPORTER: With regard to the appointment of Ms. Yamada as Executive Secretary, which you just stated, I would like to ask again about the significance of her appointment. Also, could you please tell us the background leading up to the appointment at this timing?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Prime Minister has previously also delivered an address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, in which he spoke about creating a society that promotes the advancement and appointment of women. Furthermore, since the inauguration of the Abe administration, the Cabinet itself has made efforts to promote the appointment of women and also made requests to relevant corporations to expand opportunities for women. As such, this has been one of the significant pillars of the growth strategy the Government is advancing. Newly appointed Executive Secretary Yamada is expected to address various issues across the whole Cabinet. In light of this, I understand that  she will be responsible for a broad portfolio of duties, including overall public relations for the Abe Cabinet, the promotion of policies on cohesive society, such as women's policy and measures for the declining birthrate, and policies on "hometown creation."  Utilizing her work experiences  at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ms. Yamada will also be involved in a wide range of matters including IT and information-communications policies.

REPORTER: To confirm, will the appointment of the new Executive Secretary result in a net increase in the total number of Executive Secretaries?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Yes, I understand that is exactly the direction that will be taken.

REPORTER: On a related note, I believe Ms. Yamada is from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, so have you ever made her acquaintance before today?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: During the time when I served as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, I had the opportunity to see Ms. Yamada at work, and I thought then that she was a highly outstanding and thoughtful official.

REPORTER: The question has already been asked earlier, but what was the reason behind this timing of the appointment?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Prime Minister has for a long time given thought to the appointment of a woman as Executive Secretary. The Prime Minister has actively called for the policies of promotion of women and this comes at a time when Ms. Caroline Kennedy was also appointed as Ambassador  of the United States of America to Japan., In any case, the appointment of a woman to the position of Executive Secretary is something the Prime Minister had been considering for some time. As far as we have been able to confirm, I believe that Ms. Yamada is the first-ever woman to be appointed to this position since the Cabinet of the first Prime Minister of Japan, Hirobumi Ito.

REPORTER: You have just noted that the new Executive Secretary will be responsible for overall public relations for the Abe Cabinet. How will the respective roles of the Executive Secretary and the current Cabinet Public Affairs Secretary be divided up?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Executive Secretary Yamada's public relations role will involve matters relating to the Prime Minister.

REPORTER: So she will be responsible for public relations for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Public Affairs Secretary will be responsible for public relations for the Abe Cabinet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Yes, that is the case.

REPORTER: Also, with regard to your statement that Ms. Yamada will be responsible for all matters relating to women's policies and also those relating to her work at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as a female Executive Secretary, will the main part of her work be on women's policies, or, as she is from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, will she be acting as a representative of her ministry and its policies within the Cabinet Secretariat?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The idea is that she will focus on women's policies overall.

REPORTER: Could you explain the reason why, when seeking to appoint a woman as Executive Secretary, it was Ms. Yamada who was selected from among the many women working as officials in the Government, and why it was someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that was selected?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe that the Prime Minister came to a decision after reviewing the various female candidates for the position. However, I understand that Ms. Yamada's background at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications was not particularly one of the reasons for selection. Given that, after all, the Government wishes to focus on the promotion of women's policies overall and is in the process of implementing many such policies, it was recognized that it would be necessary, naturally, to appoint a woman as Executive Secretary. In light of this, the question of who would be selected was decided by the Prime Minister's Office, with the Prime Minister himself leading the selection process.

REPORTER: You have stated that the Prime Minister made the decision to appoint Ms. Yamada, but have they previously been acquainted with each other?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe that the Prime Minister selected Ms. Yamada from a number of available candidates.

REPORTER: May I ask a question on a different topic, Chief Cabinet Secretary? I have a question concerning the Air Defense Identification Zone announced by China. A spokesperson for the Chinese air force has announced that yesterday too, Chinese military aircraft flew through the zone announced by China. What kind of information has the Government confirmed on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: At this current point in time, I am not aware of such an overflight. However, there is no change to the Government's response of engaging in surveillance and patrols in the conventional manner. Our response will continue as it has been.

REPORTER: So, to confirm, are you saying that the Government of Japan has not confirmed the matter that was announced by the Chinese air force?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am not aware of such a matter. However, there is absolutely no change to the Government's existing stance of responding firmly but in a calm manner and making every effort to engage in thorough surveillance and patrols.

REPORTER: In a meeting held between former Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and former Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taku Yamasaki, it appears that former Councilor Tang proposed holding discussions on the possible construction of a Japan-China air crisis management mechanism as a means of avoiding an unintended　consequences between military aircraft in the Air Defense Identification Zone. What do you think of such a proposal?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The basic stance of the Government is to continue to emphasize our position, responding in a firm but calm manner at all times. In addition, our stance is that Japan's door is always open for dialogues.

REPORTER: With regard to Japan-China relations, you have just stated that the Government is keeping the door open for dialogues, but is there really no change to this stance even at this current point in time? Also, you have stated that you regard the distance between the two countries has been narrowing to date. What is your view about this at the current time?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Our stance has remained consistent throughout. While maintaining such a stance, the number of Chinese nationals visiting Japan in September, or maybe it was October, has increased again, and I believe that exchange among local governments of both countries is starting to take shape. I have myself recently met with a delegation of business persons from China at the Prime Minister's Office and it is my hope that we can steadily continue to make such mutual responses.