Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (PM)(Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to make some remarks regarding the study which was undertaken in connection with the drafting process of the Kono Statement. Following the testimony at the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives by former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ishihara, who was the head of the working-level staff during the drafting process of the Kono Statement, and in response to a request from the Diet, the Government of Japan set up a study team of five intellectuals including three women, to conduct a study to grasp the facts on this issue. This study had been ongoing. With the conclusion of the study, the Government of Japan submitted the report that lays out the result of the study to the Steering Board of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives today. In addition, Mr. Keiichi Tadaki, the Chair of the study team, is going to be explaining about the content of the report. For the details of the result of the study, I ask that you later take a look at the report of the study, which compiles facts related to the drafting process of the Kono Statement, etc. This study examined the facts behind the drafting of the Kono Statement, including facts which had not been made known until now. We will be entrusting intellectuals and experts to carry out studies and assessments of history, including the issue of “comfort women.” In any case, we reaffirm our position that we will not revise the Kono Statement, and that we will uphold the Kono Statement as stated in the Government’s response to a written inquiry from a Diet member in 2007. With regard to the “comfort women” issue, we are deeply pained to think of all those who suffered immeasurable pain. This government position remains unchanged as well. The Republic of Korea is the most important neighbor for Japan. The Abe administration’s stance to continuously attach importance to the Japan-ROK relationship and to advance cooperation with the ROK through dialogues at various levels remains completely unchanged.

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: (Abridged) Are you saying that Japan will not make any concrete approaches or take any other actions vis-à-vis the ROK?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: A summary of the report was shared with the ROK shortly before the report was submitted to the Diet. Now that we have taken the first step of submitting the report to the Diet, from now on, we will be explaining the details of the report to the ROK.

REPORTER: The study ascertained that the language of the Statement was compared and coordinated between Japan and the ROK. Do you have any comments regarding this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We studied the facts behind the drafting of the Kono Statement, precisely because we felt the facts needed to be studied, including what you just referred to. We asked a third party to carry out a study – not of the “comfort women” issue per se but of the way in which the Kono Statement was drafted. As the result of the study is linked to the “comfort women” issue, the Government will, as has been the case to date, entrust intellectuals and history specialists to carry out studies and assessments of such issues.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ishihara testified at the Budget Committee hearing that it was “regrettable” (that the good intentions of the Government of Japan at the time of the drafting of the Kono Statement are not recognized by the ROK). I gather that this statement is what led to the recent study. Do you consider that the study was able to clarify what Mr. Ishihara meant by “regrettable”?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The study team compiled a report based on the facts behind the drafting process at the time. I am therefore of the opinion that such aspects have been studied.

REPORTER: On a related note, my question for you then is as follows. Based on your understanding, what do you think Mr. Ishihara meant exactly by “regrettable”?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe that the report, which is based on facts, sheds light on what kind of a process was behind the drafting of the Kono Statement. As I understand it, in his testimony, former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ishihara inferred that the language might have been compared and coordinated with the ROK during the drafting process. Former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ishihara effectively stated that although the Japan-ROK relationship improved at the time of the drafting of the Kono Statement, now that so many years have passed since then, the ROK seems to be using the negotiations against Japan, even though they were conducted with good intentions at the time. The study team studied the facts on these matters.

REPORTER: The report states that prior communication was conducted with the ROK Government, that no post factum corroborating investigation was conducted on the hearings of former comfort women, and that the result of the hearings was not compared with other testimonies as well. However, one can then have doubts about the objectivity and credibility of the Statement. Can you once again explain why the Government will still not revise the Kono Statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I explained about this in my opening statement as well as at the Diet. The hearings were conducted over 20 years ago. At the time, no corroborating investigation was conducted on the hearings. I perceive it is de facto impossible for the current Government to revise the Statement with regard to such issues. After all, the Kono Statement was released based on an agreement reached with our counterpart. However, the head of the working-level staff at the time testified that no corroborating investigation was conducted. Therefore, deeming that the Government’s role is to elucidate the facts on this issue and report them to the Diet, we asked the study team to carry out this study.

REPORTER: Based on the result of the study, you may come under increased pressure from conservative forces among the public, ruling parties, and opposition parties to revise the Statement. Even then do you intend not to revise the Statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have answered this question a number of times at the Diet. I have stated that we will not revise the Kono Statement. We will uphold the Government’s position as stated in the Government’s response to a written inquiry from a Diet member, which was approved as a Cabinet Decision in 2007.

REPORTER: After reading the report of the study on the Statement, are you of the view that the “comfort women” issue is settled?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I have been saying from moments ago, the study examined the facts behind the drafting of the Kono Statement. The Government’s opinion has long been that we should entrust intellectuals and experts to carry out studies and assessments of history, including the “comfort women” issue, and this opinion remains unchanged.

REPORTER: So the Government’s stance that the “comfort women” issue is settled remains unchanged?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: There is no change to the responses the Government has been giving at the Diet.

REPORTER: Regarding the study team, can you please explain how the five members were selected and why they were selected?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe such details will be explained during the press conference from 4:30 pm. The five members of the study team are: Chair Keiichi Tadaki, former Prosecutor-General; Dr. Hiroko Akizuki, Professor, Faculty of International Relations, Asia University; Ms. Makiko Arima, journalist, former Director of the Asian Women’s Fund; Ms. Mariko Kawano, Professor, Faculty of Law, Waseda University; and Dr. Ikuhiko Hata, modern historian. I understand that individuals suitable for carrying out an objective study of the facts at the time were selected.

REPORTER: Do you consider that Japan’s relationship with the ROK can be improved as a result of this study?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I stated a short while ago, it remains unchanged that the ROK is the most important neighbor for Japan. Our stance to continuously attach importance to the Japan-ROK relationship and the stance to advance cooperation with the ROK through dialogues at various levels remains completely unchanged.

REPORTER: The report goes into quite a bit of detail. However, normally, even if we ask you questions about diplomatic exchanges, you hardly comment on behind-closed-doors communications, saying that they were communications that should remain between the two countries. Nevertheless, the report presents the results of quite an extensive study of behind-closed-doors communications. Does this not run counter to your usual stance?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not believe that to be the case at all. This study was carried out at the strong request of the legislative body, the Diet. Under such circumstances, it is up to Japan to independently determine the handling of Japan’s diplomatic documents. The report discloses some statements in diplomatic documents. However, utmost care was taken, such as leaving out the names of diplomatic authorities. Furthermore, we did not make public the diplomatic documents which were examined in the study. In any case, because the head of the working-level staff at the time of the drafting of the Statement made his aforementioned testimony during the discussion at the Diet, the Government deemed that it had a duty to study the drafting process of the Kono Statement and report the facts to the Diet. We therefore asked the study team to carry out a study.

REPORTER: Reading the report, it appears that there were a lot of political negotiations between politicians, for example, about including the elements of coerciveness in the Statement. As was also mentioned earlier, one can interpret that the Statement is not based on historical facts. Even while the recognition of history is at the heart of this matter, my impression is that the facts render the content of the Statement meaningless. What is your view in this regard?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not understand why you would think that extensively revealing the results of the study would render the Statement meaningless. The facts that have come to light as a result of the study had not been disclosed until now. The study shed light on how the Kono Statement was drafted. In this context, as there are probably two sides to this issue, the Government’s intention from the start has been to entrust experts to carry out studies and assessments. Therefore, I do not agree with your comment at all.

REPORTER: Earlier you stated that the Government would not revise the Kono Statement. However, as a result of the Kono Statement, Japan has been subject to unfounded defamation by the ROK. Furthermore, the ROK has made such assertions internationally, resulting in many adverse consequences for Japan. What is your view regarding the adverse consequences that would result from not revising the Kono Statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We, the Government, have vowed not to revise the Kono Statement. The hearings were conducted over 20 years ago. In addition, no corroborating investigation was conducted with the participation of former “comfort women” at the time. Under these circumstances, the Government, as representatives of Japan, released this Statement based on diplomatic negotiations with the ROK Government. As this issue also involves our counterpart, we view that the Statement cannot be revised unilaterally.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a related question. In short, the Kono Statement is not an assessment by a historian; it is a statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary acknowledging coerciveness on the whole. A variety of things are stated in this report. It is stated here that there were political communications, that there were various direct communications between the two sides with regard to coerciveness. Notwithstanding this, the Kono Statement acknowledges coerciveness in all cases. In this connection, the Government of Japan has stated that the content of the Statement is not questionable. Moreover, a moment ago you stated something to the effect that, given that the Kono Statement has already been drafted, it cannot be revised.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: During the first Abe Cabinet, the Government issued a response to a written inquiry from a Diet member and stated that there was no coercion. This was approved as a Cabinet Decision.

REPORTER: Stating that women were not forcefully taken away?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Yes, stating that women were not forcefully taken away.

REPORTER: The Kono Statement acknowledges coerciveness on the whole. Leaving aside the issue of coerciveness and recruitment after the women moved into comfort stations, the Statement acknowledges coerciveness on the whole. I believe that is the key or important point of this Statement. Does the Government’s assessment remain unchanged with regard to this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: It remains unchanged.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Do you have any plans to disclose the diplomatic documents from the time of the drafting of the Statement, which were also used for the study of the Kono Statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We do not. Japan can independently determine the handling of Japan’s diplomatic documents. In addition, the report discloses some statements in diplomatic documents. However, the study was undertaken with the utmost care, such as leaving out the names of diplomatic authorities. We did not and will not make public the diplomatic documents which were examined in the study.   

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The report also studies the facts regarding the establishment of the Asian Women’s Fund and its subsequent activities. What was the aim behind this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In some cases, there has been a widespread misapprehension that Japan has not done anything to address the “comfort women” issue. We considered it very important to make known the measures Japan has taken to date with regard to this issue. We believed it was indeed necessary to elucidate the efforts Japan has made vis-à-vis this issue.

REPORTER: Regarding the point that there was no basis for the testimonies, although the fact that Japan-ROK relations at the time were good was factored into the drafting of the Kono Statement over 20 years ago, as a politician do you feel that the politicians at the time who drafted the Statement were a little imprudent?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Actually, I believe that the circumstances surrounding Japan-ROK relations at the time were very severe. The head of the working-level staff during the drafting of the Kono Statement testified at the Diet about the way in which the Statement was drafted under these circumstances. Therefore, the Government deemed that it had a responsibility to let the people know how the Kono Statement was drafted under these circumstances. With that in mind, we carried out this study.

(Abridged)