Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

Through our embassy in Beijing the Government has engaged in coordination with North Korea concerning the response to investigative work being conducted by the Special Investigation Committee of North Korea. As a result it has been decided that from October 27 to 30, Mr. Junichi Ihara, Director General of the Asian and Oceanian Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other officials concerned will be dispatched to Pyongyang. During the visit the delegation is scheduled to hold consultations with the Special Investigation Committee on October 28 and 29. The delegation will emphasize directly to the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee in North Korea that the abduction issue is a top priority for the Government of Japan. The delegation will also set out the queries and questions that the Government of Japan has, and ascertain in the greatest detail possible the current status of investigations, as well as strongly demanding that the investigation be advanced promptly and that all of the questions from the Japanese side be answered sincerely. The abduction issue is a top priority for the Abe administration. The Government will continue to make every effort to achieve the return to Japan of all abduction victims.

Q&A

• The issue concerning abduction

REPORTER: Could you tell us the members of the delegation and how many people are scheduled to visit North Korea?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This is an issue that requires a response across the whole of the Government. In addition to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are considering including officials from the Secretariat of the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue in the Cabinet Office and also officials from the National Police Agency, among other agencies, as part of the delegation. It is anticipated that in total there will be approximately 10 persons in the delegation.

REPORTER: I have a related question. You just mentioned that the delegation would be meeting with the person responsible, so is there a possibility that there will be a meeting with the chair of the Special Investigation Committee, Mr. So Tae Ha?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The details concerning attendance at the consultations are currently being coordinated through the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. In any event, it is necessary to seek an explanation from the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee in North Korea about the current status of investigations. I would like to refrain from going into any further detail.

REPORTER: I have a related question. If I may confirm, in addition to receiving an explanation in Pyongyang about the current status, does the delegation plan to visit any other locations or engage in any research or surveys?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Nothing like that is being considered.

REPORTER: Will October 27 and 30 be travel days?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Yes, that will be the case.

REPORTER: How will the delegation be traveling to Pyongyang?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am not aware of the specific details.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: Travel details are currently being arranged.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As you just heard, travel details are currently being arranged.

REPORTER: What people in what positions will the delegation be meeting, and where will they be meeting?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The delegation will meet and hold talks with the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee. Details of the consultations are currently still being coordinated. At the very least I would expect that the person responsible, who would be able to provide responses to questions, will attend the meetings.

REPORTER: On a related note, you have just mentioned that the delegation will meet with the person responsible on the North Korean side. Are we to understand that this is also what the North Korean side has indicated?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I stated, the matter is currently being coordinated.

REPORTER: A similar question was asked the other day, but if the plan is to receive an explanation concerning the current status of investigations, does the delegation also intend to seek the provision of information concerning the safety and whereabouts of Japanese nationals?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Whatever the case, the delegation will be directly conveying to the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee that the abduction issue is a top priority for the Government of Japan. The delegation will also be seeking an explanation concerning the current status of the investigation.

REPORTER: So, to confirm, the delegation will not be seeking information concerning the safety and whereabouts of Japanese nationals?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, what the delegation will do is to emphasize directly to the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee in North Korea that the abduction issue is a top priority for the Government of Japan. The delegation will then make all necessary queries and questions that the Government of Japan has and ascertain in the greatest detail possible the current status of investigations. That is all.

REPORTER: The first investigation results were expected between the end of summer and early autumn, but they have been delayed. Does the Government intend to demand a report about these results? If not, when are the results of this first investigation expected?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, the Government does not consider this dispatch as constituting the initial report. In any event, at the time of the meeting in Shenyang the North Korean side indicated that investigations were not at a stage where notification of specific results could be made. Therefore, the Government decided to dispatch a delegation to North Korea, based on the assumption that there is no current outlook for the provision of specific investigation results. The delegation will strongly seek answers from the person considered to be directly responsible for investigations into matters about which Japan requires a response, including the abduction issue.

REPORTER: On a related note, by when does the Government wish to receive the first investigation results?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The initial agreement made between the two governments was that the results would be provided between late summer and early autumn. Therefore the Government seeks a sincere response concerning the investigation results at the earliest possible time.

REPORTER: In the agreement reached at Stockholm in May a passage was included that stated that in line with the progress of investigations, representatives of the Government of Japan may travel to and stay in North Korea. Does the Government have any plans to establish a liaison office, or something similar, in North Korea depending on the results of the dispatch of this delegation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government has no such plans. Firstly, as I just mentioned, the intention of the Government is to seek a direct response from the person responsible from the Special Investigation Committee.

REPORTER: I have a related question. Members of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea still have deep-rooted concerns about a Government delegation making a visit to North Korea. Do you consider that the Government has gained the understanding of the family members concerning the visit?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This issue has one aim. The families of the victims naturally want to once again see their loved ones who were abducted, without having to wait any further. Against this backdrop it is important that the Government considers various factors and that the delegation meets directly with the person responsible for the investigations and communicates clearly to them Japan’s stance on this issue, while seeking a sincere response. North Korea does not function like other countries; for example, it is very difficult to understand who wields actual authority over certain matters. The Government therefore considers that a visit to North Korea would be of value in that it would enable us to engage directly with the person in authority. The Government wishes to achieve a resolution to this issue by any means, through dialogue and pressure, and based on the principle of action for action.

(Abridged)