Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga
I have an announcement concerning the Prime Minister’s schedule. On Thursday, May 22, the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit an after-school club at an elementary school in Yokohama. Specifically the Prime Minister will engage in an exchange of opinions with persons concerned from the city and school, among others, regarding effort for the after-school activities and programs for children. He will also interact with the children who are participating in the after-school program. For further details please direct your questions to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Q&As

• The issue concerning the testimony made by Mr. Yoshida
• The China-Russia summit meeting

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Following on from this morning’s press conference, I have a question concerning the testimony made by Mr. Masao Yoshida. Minister Onodera stated that if the contents of the report are true then they must be clarified. Does the Government intend to investigate whether the press reports about Mr. Yoshida’s testimony are true or not?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: What I would like you to understand is that after Mr. Yoshida was interviewed by the Government’s Investigation Committee on the Accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations, his declining health meant that he was unable to be interviewed by the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC). Therefore NAIIC requested the records of the interview that the Investigation Committee on the Accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station had conducted. At the time when the records of Mr. Yoshida’s interview were to be submitted to NAIIC, Mr. Yoshida indicated his preference that the record of the interview not be divulged to third parties. The handing over of the interview records to NAIIC was therefore approved on the condition that they would be dealt with in the strictest confidence and that after the investigation was concluded the records would be returned to the Government’s Investigation Committee. Mr. Yoshida did not want the records of the interview to be released externally and the Government decided that requests for disclosure would be denied. There was also a written request to this effect from Mr. Yoshida.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the China-Russia summit meeting. (Abridged) The statement by the two leaders incorporates the words “German fascism” and “Japanese militarism” and it also announces that the two countries will jointly hold an event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory in the Second World War. Can I ask for your thoughts on this statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government will use diplomatic channels to thoroughly explain our stance on this issue. We will explain how in the 70 years since the war, from the time of our forebears until the present, Japan has built a rich, peaceful and free nation based on the principles of freedom, democracy and peace, and that we will continue to ensure our nation is founded on such principles.

REPORTER: There is a phrase in the joint statement that appears to be aimed at Japan. The statement expresses China and Russia’s intention to resist attempts to falsify history and disrupt the post-war world order. It is a phrase that seems to symbolize a worsening of Japan’s relations with China and Russia. What are your thoughts on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Japan has faced its history head on, reflecting on those things that should be reflected on, while building itself as the peaceful nation it is today. That is the point that I would like to clearly emphasize.

(Abridged)