Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato

As of today, January 24, an official announcement has been issued appointing Mr. Yusuke Yokobatake, Deputy Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, to the position of acting Director-General. This personnel change follows the hospitalization of the Director-General, Mr. Ichiro Komatsu, for a medical examination due to poor health. I understand that the entire examination process will take approximately one month. We wish Mr. Komatsu a speedy recovery.

Q&As

• The issue related to the visit to Yasukuni Shrine by Prime Minister Abe
• The issues related to Prime Minister Abe's comments made in Davos
• The issues related to Prime Minister Abe's delivery of the Policy Speech

(Abridged)

REPORTER: With regard to the Prime Minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine, there are some reports in the United States media that the Government of the United States unofficially requested to the Government of Japan asking for a guarantee that the Prime Minister will not visit the Shrine again. What are the facts behind these reports?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: I am not aware of what these reports are referring to, but Japan and the United States are working together on various levels in dealing with a variety of issues. I would like to refrain from making any comment about specific details.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The Prime Minister made comments likening Japan-China relations to United Kingdom-Germany relations at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2014 in Davos in a meeting with media leaders from various countries. These comments are currently the subject of attention. According to some media reports, when interpreting the Prime Minister's comments, the interpreter at the meeting added a comment, "I believe we are in a similar situation," which was not part of the Prime Minister's actual comments. Have you confirmed the facts behind these reports?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: (Abridged) I am unable to confirm the facts behind what you just mentioned.

REPORTER: On a related note, in this morning's press conference, the Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that he issued instructions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain the true intention of the aforementioned comments by the Prime Minister. Could you tell us whether such an explanation was subsequently made, and if so, to whom and how was the explanation given?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: The Chief Cabinet Secretary has explained the true intention of the Prime Minister's comments in this press conference, noting that t Japan is endeavoring to ensure that various (unintended) situations do not arise, and for this it is important to create rules for communication. The reason that the Chief Cabinet Secretary said that such message will be conveyed through diplomatic channels, among other means, is that it is the media in some countries that have misunderstood the Prime Minister's comments in a certain way, and not the actual governments of these countries. Therefore efforts are being made, and will continue to be made, through Japanese embassies to explain the true intentions of the Prime Minister's comments to such media outlets and other sources of information.

REPORTER: The ordinary session of the Diet began today, and the Prime Minister delivered his Policy Speech at the House of Representatives. I believe that you yourself, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, have been involved in considerations on the content of the speech. Could you tell us what you perceive to be the areas on which the speech focused, and what is your impression after hearing the Prime Minister deliver the speech?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: In his Policy Speech today, Prime Minister Abe expressed his intention to press forward with confidence in implementing those things that can be done towards the resolution of the issues that Japan faces. This includes the realization of reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the creation of a virtuous economic cycle. . I believe that through his Policy Speech, the Prime Minister was able to convey, in his own words, his passion and intention to bring out all kinds of dormant potential in Japan to full bloom.

REPORTER: In today's Policy Speech, the Prime Minister touched on the issue of the right to collective self-defense, something that he has not mentioned in previous speeches. What was the reason for the timing of this mention of the right to collective self-defense?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: The Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security is discussing the issue of the right to collective self-defense. It is on this basis that the Prime Minister mentioned the right to collective self-defense, or collective security, in his Policy Speech.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Returning to the matter of the right to collective self-defense, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Yosuke Isozaki previously stated that its interpretation should be changed during this ordinary session of the Diet. I believe that by mentioning the issue, he sought to open it up to proper Diet discussion. What is the schedule for such discussions?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: There is, as of yet, no particular schedule. Rather, as the issue is first being discussed in the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security - the ball is in their court, if you will - the Government will wait for a report to be issued by this panel and will then respond accordingly.

REPORTER: On another related point, if the interpretation of collective defense were to be changed, currently what do you think about the necessity to enact basic legislation for national security?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: On this issue also, there could be various opinions in the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security and the report from the panel. In any case, I believe that the Government will take all these into account in its response.