Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The Cabinet Decision on Security Legislation
• The Japan-North Korea Government-Level consultations
• The North Korea’s launch of a missile

REPORTER: In his press conference yesterday concerning security-related issues, the Prime Minister referred to a team that would work to formulate related legislation. Could you tell us about the specific form and composition of this team?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: The team to formulate relevant bills was launched immediately following the Cabinet decision yesterday. In specific terms the team was established under the National Security Secretariat of the Cabinet Secretariat. The team will be jointly headed by Mr. Nobushige Takamizawa and Mr. Nobukatsu Kanehara, who both serve concurrently as Deputy Secretaries General of the National Security Secretariat and Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretaries. The team will comprise approximately 30 members. It will liaise closely with ministries and agencies concerned as it engages in its work to consider the formulation of legislation.

REPORTER: What will the team be doing first?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: The team will be divided broadly into two groups. The first will be the planning group that will liaise and coordinate with the ministries and agencies concerned. The second will be the legislative response group that will engage in considerations with regard to amendments to legislation concerning the response to armed attack situations. I believe that the two groups will work to fulfill their designated missions.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question concerning collective security involving the use of force, which was not discussed in great detail. Does the Government intend to treat this issue as one to be handled under the current Constitution, or will it treat this issue as one to be dealt with following constitutional amendment?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: Whatever the case, given that a judgment will be made on the basis of the three necessary conditions, discussions will be advanced in accordance with those conditions. Therefore what the Government will be considering is not collective security itself, but whether a situation corresponds to the requirements of the three new conditions.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations. I understand that yesterday North Korea provided an explanation concerning the organization, composition and persons responsible for the Special Investigation Committee. Mr. Junichi Ihara, Director General of the Asian and Oceanian Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is engaged in the consultations and he has stated that the Japanese side will examine the explanation in detail before coming to a comprehensive decision about whether or not to lift the unilateral sanctions that Japan has imposed on North Korea. Could you tell us the future direction for the consultation process?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: Firstly, yesterday, July 1, the Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations took place in Beijing, headed by Mr. Junichi Ihara, Director General of the Asian and Oceanian Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Japanese side and Ambassador Song Il Ho, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the North Korean side. These consultations were held to follow up on the agreement reached between Japan and North Korea at the end of May and I understand that intensive discussions took place for approximately four-and-a-half hours in the morning and afternoon. During the consultations the North Korean side provided a careful explanation about the organization, composition and persons responsible for the Special Investigation Committee. The Japanese side will bring this information back to Japan and then come to a decision. That is the stage that we are currently at.

REPORTER: You have just mentioned that there was a careful explanation, but there were also exchanges of opinion about unclarified issues. At the same time, an explanation was also provided about the specific content and procedures relating to the lifting of Japanese sanctions, which would suggest that details are in their final stages. How much time do you think will be required before a decision is made on the lifting of sanctions?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: Firstly, I imagine that the Japanese side would have had various questions in response to the explanation provided by North Korea. Also, I have been informed that with regard to the lifting of Japan’s sanctions, the Japanese delegation explained that this would be premised on the completion of various stages of the entire process. From now the Japanese side will first bring back to Japan the information they have been provided with on this occasion and the Government will make a final decision after having examined this information in detail.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: It is unclear whether this is directly related to the consultations, but there is information to suggest that this morning North Korea once again launched an object believed to be a missile. Is the Government aware of this information?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: I am aware that such reports have already been made. As is usually the case with regard to developments in North Korea’s missile launches, I would like to refrain from making any comments about specific details of individual incidents as this would reveal Japan’s intelligence gathering capabilities. However, whatever the case, on this occasion it has not been confirmed that a flying object is headed for Japan. At the current point we do not recognize that a situation has occurred that would directly affect the security of Japan.

REPORTER: The timing of this missile launch is directly after Japan made a protest concerning the missile issue in the Japan-North Korea Government-level consultations yesterday. What are the thoughts and views of the Government with regard to the timing?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: Are you speaking about the recent short-range missile launch?

REPORTER: Yes.

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY KATO: As I have just mentioned I would like to refrain from making any direct comments about individual missile launches. Also, whatever may be said about the intentions of North Korea, these are ultimately the intentions of North Korea and the Government of Japan is not in a position to engage in conjecture about such intentions. Whatever the case, the Government will continue to cooperate closely with the United States and the Republic of Korea, calling on North Korea to refrain from such various moves and responses. In addition, the Government will adopt the necessary measures with a sense of vigilance, including patrols and surveillance, in order to be able to respond to any situation.

(Abridged)