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 nine general and other measures, the promulgation of legislation, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Minister Mori and the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission made statements concerning the status of traffic-related accidents for FY2013 and the current status of traffic safety measures, and also on the Plan for Traffic Safety Measures for FY2014. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries made a statement concerning the FY2013 Annual Report on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas in Japan. The Minister of Finance made a statement concerning a Report on international investment position of Japan as of the end of 2013 and a Report on Japan’s 2013 international balance of payment. Minister Yamamoto made a statement concerning international conferences co-organized by the Science Council of Japan in FY2015. The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Minister Yamamoto made statements concerning the launch of H-IIA launch vehicle No. 24 with Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 “DAICHI-2” onboard. I made a statement concerning the appointment of Special Advisors.

Ahead of the inauguration of the Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs on May 30, today, a Cabinet Decision was approved for said inauguration. Under the leadership of the Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, strategic personnel assignments will be made to carry out the important policies of the Cabinet. We will establish an organizational structure that enables Kasumigaseki (the district in which most ministries and agencies are located) to promptly resolve various issues in a uniform and integrated manner by dismantling destructive vertically-segmented administrative structures. The Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs will also foster public servants who serve the nation and people. Of the tasks of the Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, Minister Tomomi Inada will be appointed as the Minister in charge of the National Public Service System and will be in charge of the tasks related to the national public service system and administrative organizations, excluding tasks related to the unification of the process of appointing senior officials. With regard to the senior officials of the Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato will be appointed as the Director-General, Cabinet Bureau of personnel Affairs. Director-General of the Personnel and Pension Bureau Takayuki Sasajima of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Mr. Toshihiko Wako, Director-General of the Administrative Management Bureau attached to the Minister’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, will be appointed as Director-General for Personnel Policy Planning upon obtaining the Cabinet’s approval. We will also establish the position of Deputy Director-General in charge of the Facilitation of Women’s Active Role, to which we will appoint Director Yumiko Jozuka of the General Affairs Division, Equal Employment, Children and Families Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. All letters of appointment will be delivered on May 30.

Q&As

• The provision of assistance to Viet Nam
• The Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations
• The consultation regarding the right of collective self-defense
• The presidential election in Ukraine

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I understand that in a recent interview with a foreign press outlet, the Prime Minister stated that he would like to see an acceleration of the provision of assistance to Viet Nam, such as patrol vessels. Is this true?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This past March, I believe it was, during President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Japan and on other occasions as well, the Prime Minister and the President agreed that Japan and Viet Nam will further cooperate in the area of maritime security. Prime Minister Abe announced that Japan would carry out a survey towards the provision of patrol vessels. On this basis, Japan already dispatched a survey mission. This was already decided by the Prime Minister in March of this year.

REPORTER: Will patrol vessels be provided ahead of the schedule than it was discussed in March?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In March, the two sides agreed to cooperate in the area of maritime security. We are already making preparations to this end.

REPORTER: But will the preparations be accelerated?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We understand that Viet Nam needs the patrol vessels quickly, and therefore, we are of course making the necessary preparations.

REPORTER: I have a related question regarding the clashes between Viet Nam and China in the South China Sea. There are reports that a Vietnamese vessel was rammed by a Chinese vessel and sunk. Is this true? What is the response of the Japanese Government?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We are aware of the media reports. If the reports are true, these are indeed acts that constitute extreme danger to human life. In light of this, Japan deems it important that the relevant parties refrain from unilateral actions that heighten tension, respond calmly while respecting relevant international law, and make efforts towards the restoration of regional stability. Japan will work together with the relevant countries to this end.   

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a related question regarding the provision of patrol vessels. During the interview published in yesterday’s article, the Prime Minister explained that the patrol vessels cannot be provided immediately and he did not state when exactly they would be provided. I would think that stating that Japan will provide patrol vessels against the backdrop of the ongoing China-Viet Nam tensions would have the opposite effect of further heightening tensions. How does the Government see the situation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In any event, when the President visited Japan in March, the two leaders agreed that the two countries would cooperate in the area of maritime security and that Japan would provide patrol vessels. Japan had already started its survey towards the provision of patrol vessels even before this incident took place. Therefore, we will proceed as planned with the preparations.

REPORTER: I have a question in connection with the latest sinking of the Vietnamese fishing vessel. Will the Prime Minister be touching on the issue of China’s maritime expansion in his keynote address at the Asia Security Summit this weekend?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Prime Minister still has not obtained the approval of the Diet. Let me first say that if the Prime Minister is able to obtain the Diet’s approval, the Prime Minister will attend the Asia Security Summit which will be held in Singapore this weekend. The Asia Security Summit is a discussion forum focusing on the security issues of the Asia-Pacific. Therefore, it would make sense that Prime Minister Abe speaks about Japan’s security policy, including the policy of “Proactive Contribution to Peace” based on the principle of international cooperation. In view of the present rising tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea, we hope that a variety of constructive discussions takes place that promote peace and security in this region.

REPORTER: I have a related question. In his address, will the Prime Minister be making specific references to China?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am not aware of the details. However, in any case, I imagine that the Prime Minister will be discussing the policy of “Proactive Contribution to Peace” which the Prime Minister has continued to emphasize. We hope that a variety of constructive discussions takes place about what is needed to realize peace and security in this region in view of the situation which presently rising tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations. The first day of the consultations ended. Can you please tell us the status of the consultations, including what Japan requested and what the response was from North Korea?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First, with regard to the consultations on the 26th, I was briefed that the two sides held intensive discussions lasting four hours amid a very severe atmosphere. A broad range of outstanding issues of interest to both parties were discussed. As the consultations are still ongoing, I would like to refrain from speculating on the content of the views that were exchanged.

REPORTER: I have a question on the same topic. As of this moment, has North Korea not made any specific references to the process of the re-investigation into the victims of abduction?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: None at all.

REPORTER: I would like to ask a related question. In the past, North Korea broke a promise it made to carry out a re-investigation. Am I correct in thinking that even if North Korea were to agree during the consultations to carry out a re-investigation, you would exercise a level of caution before trusting them?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government will deal with this in a careful manner.

REPORTER: My question is about the right of collective self-defense. Today, the second consultations among ruling parties regarding national security legislative amendments and establishment was convened. There were talks within the Liberal Democratic Party about concluding the discussion on “gray zone” issues in a single meeting. However, the discussion did not finish today and is expected to become protracted. Does the Government have any reaction to this? 

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Can you please repeat your question one more time?

REPORTER: It looks like the consultations among the ruling parties will become protracted. What is your view regarding this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In any case, the Government presented a collection of cases to the consultations among the ruling parties. This was done in line with the instruction of the Prime Minister and upon the request of the ruling parties for case examples that help illustrate the issues presented in the report of the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security. We hope that the ruling parties proceed with further examinations of the issues according to specific cases. For our part, the Government will make efforts to obtain the understanding of the people.

REPORTER: Does the Government still aim to have a Cabinet decision approved during the current session of the Diet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government entrusts this to the consultations among the ruling parties. There is no change to our intention to examine how to proceed based on the outcome of the consultations among the ruling parties. Therefore, if we determine that a revision of the interpretation of the Constitution is necessary, then we will do so by a Cabinet decision.

REPORTER: I have a question about the presidential election in Ukraine. Has the Government finalized its evaluation of the election based on reports from the local observation mission?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government of Japan perceives that the election took place in Ukraine—with the exception of a part of eastern Ukraine—in a generally peaceful, free, and fair manner. In fact, a similar evaluation was also made by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) which monitored the recent election. Based on these findings, the Government of Japan would like to sincerely welcome the fact that candidate Mr. Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko secured a victory. The Government of Japan anticipates that under the new government, reforms will move forward with regard to urgent issues including economic restructuring and promotion of domestic dialogues and integration. Japan intends to continue to cooperate with the new administration in the promotion of such reforms.

REPORTER: Regarding this topic, clashes are intensifying between the Government and anti-Government forces in eastern Ukraine. What is the opinion of the Japanese Government regarding this situation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We are aware of such media reports. Japan has heretofore been hoping that the parties concerned promote domestic dialogues peacefully in a manner that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. To this end, Japan urges all parties to exercise caution in their actions, and to demonstrate self-restraint and responsibility.

REPORTER: In relation to the previous question, you stated that the Government of Japan would like to sincerely welcome Mr. Poroshenko’s victory. Is my understanding correct that this means Japan acknowledges and approves candidate Mr. Poroshenko and his new government?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The election took place in a fair and peaceful manner. If I am not mistaken, the voter turnout was 60% or 61%. The European observation mission also praises this. The election took place in this context, and so I stated that Japan would like to welcome the fact that candidate Mr. Poroshenko secured a victory.

REPORTER: What is your view regarding the new President’s dialogue with Russia, with eastern Ukraine, and with pro-Russian factions?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I understand that the new President stated that he would carry out a series of dialogues, including the dialogues you noted. Japan hopes that the newly appointed President, candidate Mr. Poroshenko, will follow through on that.

(Abridged)