Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 17 written answers in response to letters of questions by Diet members, the promulgation of legislation, a draft bill, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Shindo made a statement concerning the results of the evaluation of consumer transaction policies. Prime Minister Abe made a statement concerning acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on overseas visits, among other matters.

Prior to today’s Cabinet meeting, the second meeting of the Council for the Promotion of the Reform of the Development System for the Legal Profession was convened. During the meeting, the Office for the Promotion of the Reform of the Development System for the Legal Profession and other parties reported on the status of the initiatives taken to date. In addition, with regard to the measures to be implemented from FY2015, the Council decided on the measures for reviewing the system of dispatching judges, public prosecutors, and other national public officers to serve as faculty members at law schools. For more information, please ask your questions during the briefing by the Office for the Promotion of the Reform of the Development System for the Legal Profession, which is scheduled to take place following this press conference.

Q&As

• An agreement on strengthening the partnership on cyber-security
• Postponement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs’s visit to Russia

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Regarding the Japan-U.S. summit meeting scheduled for next week,　there are reports that the two sides will reach an agreement on strengthening their partnership on cyber-security in the area of Southeast Asia. Is this true?  

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Although there are various reports in the media, the two sides are still coordinating the specific agenda items in preparation for the summit meeting. Nothing has yet been decided regarding the outcomes, nor what items will or will not be discussed at the meeting. Therefore, I would like to refrain from making any speculation. However, it is true that we are in the process of making a variety of final arrangements.  

REPORTER: Leaving the summit meeting aside, is my understanding correct that Japan and the United States are discussing these matters?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Strengthening partnerships in areas such as cyber-security is a must. The Government has established a cyber-security headquarters and we consider it critically important to address this issue. As such, it is true that Japan is engaged in a variety of partnerships with the relevant countries in the field of cyber-security. 

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the aims of strengthening partnership in cyber-security. The United States has pointed out the Chinese military’s involvement in cyber-attacks. As such, are you in fact assuming China will be the reason for strengthening the partnership?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This is not a matter of which country is doing what. Partnerships in cyber-security are critically important for the countries concerned. Therefore, we will first make efforts to fully protect all of Japan against cyber-attacks, in coordination with the relevant countries. 

REPORTER: I understand that the visit to Russia by Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida was postponed. Can you please once again explain the factors that led to this decision? Also, when do you expect to begin rearranging the visit?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, due to issues of scheduling, both sides agreed to postpone the meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues, which was scheduled for later this month. Following this postponement, it was decided that Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida’s visit to Russia would also be postponed. The postponement was based on mutual agreement. Therefore, the two sides will once again engage in discussion with each other and determine how to proceed.

(Abridged)