Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have one item I would like to share with you. Tomorrow, June 19, the Prime Minister is scheduled to inspect the utilization of robots at a factory and a retirement home as part of efforts to formulate the growth strategy. More specifically, the Prime Minister will visit the production line of a factory in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, to inspect how robots cooperate with humans. He will also visit a retirement home in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, to inspect how robots are being utilized to provide nursing care. The Prime Minister will exchange views with people at each of those places. That is all from me.

Q&As

• The establishment of the Special Investigation Committee by North Korea

REPORTER: I have a question about the establishment of the Special Investigation Committee by North Korea. Soon three weeks will have passed since the agreement. When can North Korea be expected to establish this Special Investigation Committee?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As a result of coordination through the so-called embassy channel in Beijing, Japan-North Korea Government-level Consultations will soon be held in order to follow up on the recent Japan-North Korea agreement. Arrangements are still underway regarding the exact timing and venue of the consultations. Mr. Junichi Ihara, Director General of the Asian and Oceanian Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to represent the Japanese side; and Ambassador Song Il Ho, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to represent the North Korean side.
We are scheduled to receive an explanation from the North Korean side regarding the organization and structure of the Special Investigation Committee and the officials responsible for it, and the Government intends to carry out a thorough assessment of such information.

REPORTER: So are the timing and venue of the government-level consultations still undecided?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We are currently making arrangements regarding the timing and venue.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: What aspects of the organization and structure of the Special Investigation Committee and the officials responsible for it does the Japanese Government consider important during the assessment of such information?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have already talked about that here previously, but the agreement documents were signed with the understanding that the Japanese side obviously believes the Special Investigation Committee should be the one invested with special authority to conduct investigations over all the institutions. As such, specific details about the organization and the structure of the Special Investigation Committee and the officials responsible for it are to be reported to the Japanese side. We are in fact placing the utmost importance on such details.

REPORTER: I presume you mean that the Special Investigation Committee should be able to also investigate the special agencies that carried out the abductions. Does the Japanese Government consider it preferable, for example, that First Secretary Kim Jong-un be involved in some way in the Special Investigation Committee?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Special Investigation Committee is to be invested with special authority to conduct investigations over all the institutions. Therefore, we of course hope to see a clear commitment to that end.

REPORTER: You mentioned that the timing and venue of the Japan-North Korea Government-level Consultations are currently being arranged. However, considering the three week time limit, would it be correct to assume that you will make a decision within a timescale of the next few days?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The venue and so on is currently under consideration. As such, things are moving forward. In any case, we are currently making the necessary arrangements.

REPORTER: You have previously mentioned that the investigative body will be given a time limit of roughly a year, but does the Japanese side intend to make further demands relating to a time limit?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to refrain from commenting on that matter. In any case, we must not allow this process to be prolonged. As I mentioned earlier, the Special Investigation Committee will be invested with special authority to conduct investigations over all the institutions, as has been agreed upon. Furthermore, it was also agreed that North Korea will conduct a full-scale investigation, not only on victims of abduction, but on all Japanese nationals, including other missing persons. Therefore, the Government will first hold consultations at the director-general level, and confirm that the composition of the members of the Special Investigation Committee is appropriate for carrying out these tasks.

REPORTER: Today the Bill to Revise the Act on Punishment of Activities Relating to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and the Protection of Children was enacted. This time comics and animations were exempted. What are your views on the necessity of regulating comics and animations in the future with related bills, for example?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, in the bill enacted today, and even in legislation that was already in place, comics and animations that depict real-life children is subject to regulation. At the same time, comics and so forth that depict fictional children and the sexual exploitation of children may promote a climate of considering children as sexual objects. However, there is also the concern that issues of freedom of expression will arise if they are subject to regulation. Therefore, the Government considers it necessary to examine this matter very carefully.

(Abridged)