Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

From this month, municipalities have gradually begun accepting applications for the two temporary benefits for low income pensioners and child-rearing households following the raising of the consumption tax rate. The Prime Minister spoke to Japanese nationals about this new payment at yesterday’s press conference. To enable the Government to work as one to publicize these activities, we plan to hold Director-General level liaison meetings led by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko and involving the eight relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The first meeting is scheduled to be held at the Prime Minister’s Office from 9:30 am tomorrow, Thursday, June 26. For more information please direct your questions to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Q&As

• The consultation between Japan and North Korea
• The reaction of the effort to ascertain of the Kono Statement by ROK

(Abridged)

REPORTER: At this morning’s press conference you mentioned that the consultation between Governments of Japan and North Korea are in the final coordination phase. At present, have there been any developments?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have received a report that the situation is still exactly the same as it was this morning and both sides are in the final coordination phase.

REPORTER: Regarding the lifting of sanctions, you have said that before a decision could be made, the structure of the Special Investigation Committee would first need to be carefully analyzed. Could you please inform us again about what particular aspects of the makeup of the committee the Government will be placing importance on?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In the agreement documents from the recent preliminary negotiations, it is stated that the North Korean side will present information at the next negotiations regarding the organization and structure of the Special Investigation Committee and the officials responsible for it. Above all, it is also stated that the committee will be invested with special authority to conduct investigations over all the institutions. I believe that will be the key point.

REPORTER: The other day the Supreme Court made a decision to temporarily suspend the sale process of the building of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan. Some are of the opinion that this will have a positive effect on the negotiations between Japan and North Korea. How do you view the decision?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: That matter is currently subject to judicial proceedings. I think it is therefore up to the Supreme Court to decide. The kind of effect that decision will have on the current negotiations is not something I can speculate on.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: According to reports by the media in the Republic of Korea (ROK), during his meeting yesterday with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Washington D.C., First Vice Foreign Minister of the ROK Cho Tae-yong expressed the ROK side’s deep regret that the Japanese Government made public the results of the efforts to ascertain the background of the Kono Statement. What is your view on that? 

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not think it would be appropriate for me to comment on behalf of the Government on dealings between the U.S. and ROK Governments. What I will say however, is that I consider the response of the ROK Government following the announcement of the report to be extremely regrettable. My hope is that the ROK Government will treat the results of the efforts to ascertain the background of the compilation of the Kono Statement in a cool-headed manner.

(Abridged)