Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The reform of agricultural cooperatives
• The application to the list on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register by China

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the reform of agricultural cooperatives. I understand that the Liberal Democratic Party finalized its reform proposal, and it proposes, among other items, the transition of JA-ZENCHU (Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives) to a new organization. Could you please share your comments with us?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: With regard to this reform, for example, JA-ZENCHU was established by a law of 1954. Times have changed significantly since then, and I would like to highly commend the fact that we are finally beginning to see a vision for such reforms. The Government and ruling parties will work together to give dynamism to local agricultural cooperatives, the members of individual agricultural cooperatives, and to be able to promote agricultural policies for the future.

REPORTER: You said “highly commend.” What exactly are you referring to?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: What I meant was that it should be commended that a vision was set out to adapt JA-ZENCHU to the present times, given that times have changed considerably since 1954 and given the present circumstances in which the number of those engaged in agriculture has decreased by half.

(Abridged) 

REPORTER: Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China announced that it applied to list on the Memory of the World Register of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) documents related to the comfort women during the war and the Nanjing Massacre. What is the view of the Japanese Government? Also, yesterday, you spoke about the possibility of lodging a protest. Could you please elaborate?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, on the 10th, following these remarks which were made during the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, we contacted the UNESCO Secretariat to check if China had submitted an application. Through this process, we confirmed that an application had been submitted. It is extremely regrettable that China is trying to play up a negative legacy from a certain period in the past between Japan and China by using UNESCO for a political purpose, when effort needs to be made to improve relations between the two countries. Therefore, today, Japan lodged a protest and requested China to withdraw the application.

REPORTER: As for the reason for the protest, what is the contents Japan protesting against?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: With regard to the Nanjing Massacre, the Government of Japan believes that it cannot be denied that following the entrance of the former Japanese Army into Nanjing, the killing of a large number of noncombatants, looting and other acts occurred. However, there are numerous theories as to the actual number of victims, and the Government of Japan believes it is difficult to say with any certainty. Japan strongly protests China’s unilateral application under these circumstances.

REPORTER: Is the Japanese Government aware about the materials that China newly discovered?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: There have been a variety of opinions about this to date, and there are numerous theories as to the actual number of victims. In this context, it is difficult to say with any certainty. It is extremely regrettable that China unilaterally submitted an application under these circumstances, and Japan lodged a protest.

REPORTER: Through what channel and at what level did Japan lodge a protest?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Minister of the Japanese Embassy in China lodged a protest to the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

(Abridged)