Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets
• The bills relating to integrated resorts(IR)
• The issue of the consumption tax inclease
• The issue of Ebola virus disease

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. Today in the General Council of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) the decision was made to postpone approval of the implementation guidelines and draft ordinances for the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. The major reason for this postponement was apparently due to the lack of a clear response to questions concerning guarantees that interpretation of the act would not be expanded, about the public’s right to know, and respect for freedom of the press. Can I ask for your thoughts on this issue and also what the Government’s response will be?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have received a report that deliberations will continue in the General Council of the LDP. The Government will continue to provide clear explanations to the ruling parties, towards gaining Cabinet approval for ordinances and implementation guidelines relating to the act. That is all.

REPORTER: I have a related question. Is it likely that the postponement of approval by the LDP General Council will have an effect on the date on which the act goes into effect?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not think that will be the case.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the bills relating to integrated resorts (IR). Consultations took place today among the various parties, represented by the leaders of the Parliamentarians’ League for Promotion of the International Tourism Industry in Japan. After the consultations a press briefing took place in which it was explained that the parties agreed to insert a clause in the IR-related bills. The clause states that for the time being, a separate law would provide stipulations concerning the use of casinos by Japanese nationals. Can I ask for your views on this decision to first aim to lift the casino ban in Japan for foreign nationals, before subsequently considering lifting the ban for Japanese nationals?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I was not aware of the details of the consultations. Although this is the first that I have heard of this matter, what I would say is that as this is legislation introduced by Diet members, they will proceed in the aforementioned manner.

REPORTER: Returning to committee affairs, I have a question about the behavior of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). As Minister Yamatani was responding to questions from DPJ Diet member Toshio Ogawa concerning the Zaitokukai group, there was an instance of sexist heckling, where someone called out “Weren’t you intimate with them?” (members of the Zaitokukai). What are your views concerning such disorderly remarks in the Diet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I too found the heckling to be rude in the extreme. This is something that has become an issue and the heckling was slanderous and disrespectful to women, and cannot be tolerated. Such comments that call the dignity of the Diet into question cannot be accepted. Minister Yamatani has been questioned about the photograph of her and a member of Zaitokukai by various committees, and has repeatedly been subjected to such remarks. Such heckling not only calls the dignity of the Diet into question, but is a slanderous jibe that is disrespectful to women and cannot be tolerated.

REPORTER: I would like to return to the issue of the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. I believe the aim was to reach a Cabinet decision later this week on October 10. Following the postponement of approval by the LDP General Council today, there is a possibility that the schedule as a whole will be delayed. Can I ask you again for your thoughts about the schedule from now?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I just mentioned, the most important thing is that we seek the understanding of the ruling parties and provide clear explanations.

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the timing of a decision about whether to increase the consumption tax to 10 percent. In an appearance on a television program yesterday Minister Amari stated that the Financial Statements Statistics of Corporations by Industry would be announced on December 1. He noted that these figures would help to give a picture of the second preliminary GDP figures for the July to September quarter, which are due to be announced on December 8, making it possible to make a decision before the announcement on December 8. In a previous television appearance you stated your view that the Prime Minister would make a decision following the announcement on December 8 of the second preliminary GDP figures for the July to September quarter. What is your understanding with regard to the comments made by Minister Amari?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe that Minister Amari was stating his own view. Whatever the case, last year when making a decision about whether to increase consumption tax to 8 percent, the Prime Minister came to a final decision after serious and thorough consideration of the second preliminary estimates for the July to September quarter. Today there was a question in the Diet about what would happen this year, and in his response the Prime Minister explained that after careful consideration he would like to come to a decision before the end of the year. This was the Prime Minister’s response both today and yesterday in the Diet and that is what will happen.

REPORTER: I have a related question. So you are in fact saying that the expectation remains unchanged that the Prime Minister will make a decision following the announcement of the second preliminary GDP figures for the July to September quarter on December 8?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: What the Prime Minister has constantly repeated is that he would like to come to a decision after careful consideration by the end of the year. That is all. Nothing more, nothing less.

REPORTER: I have a related question about something that may have an impact on the raising of the consumption tax. The preliminary figures for the indexes of business conditions for August were announced today, and the coincident index, which shows the state of the economy, was down 1.4 points from July, marking a deterioration for the first time in two months. With regard to the assessment of the current state of the Japanese economy it has been corrected to a “downward trend from the “economic standstills” that were described in July. What are your views on these figures?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The indexes of business trend take into account various indices, such as the indices of industrial production and the indices of commercial sales value, which are extremely sensitive to economic conditions. They can be used to judge the tempo of the economy and the scale of the fluctuation of the economy and are issued every month. My understanding is that the figures announced each month are a provisional indicator of the current state of the economy, based on movement in past indexes of business trend, which are applied automatically to pre-set standards. This month’s figures were down 1.4 points on the previous month and I have received a report that the assessment of the current state of the economy has been downgraded based on the standard of trends in the index to date. Whatever the case, I believe that the results of the indexes of business conditions reflect trends such as the surge in demand prior to the consumption tax increase and the subsequent reaction to this surge. The Government comprehensively analyzes all factors, including trends in indices, when making a judgment on the economy, which are then set out in the Monthly Economic Report.

REPORTER: So are we to understand that a decision on the consumption tax increase will be made after the announcement of the second preliminary GDP figures for the July to September quarter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have previously pointed out that the decision by the Prime Minister last year was made on the basis of the second preliminary GDP figures. However, in responses to the Diet the Prime Minister has himself specifically referred not to the second preliminary GDP figures, but to the fact that he seeks to engage in serious considerations before coming to a decision by the end of the year. The final decision rests with the Prime Minister and I believe it is as the Prime Minister has stated.

REPORTER: I have a question concerning Ebola virus disease. There is a case in Spain where a patient has been diagnosed with Ebola, which is said to be the first case of infection outside the African continent. I believe that experimental Japanese drugs are being provided on an individual basis. What is the Government’s current thinking about the provision of such experimental drugs to international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or other countries?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have received a report that a patient in France received these experimental drugs and subsequently recovered. With regard to the effect of the drugs, although there has been a case in which they seem to have been effective, it will be necessary to observe evaluations by relevant experts. Whatever the case, the Government will monitor the status of discussions in the WHO concerning the use of experimental drugs. Until a conclusion is reached by the WHO we will continue to respond to individual requests for experimental drugs assuming that certain conditions are met.