Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The Japan-China relations
• The reform of agricultural cooperatives

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Secretary General Yachi of the National Security Secretariat has returned from a visit to China. What specific consultations did he engage in while in China and was there any discussion about a Japan-China summit meeting?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I have not yet received a report, but I understand that Mr. Yachi had good discussions with the Chinese side. I will be hearing about the details of the discussions in due course. Immediately upon his appointment as Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat, Mr. Yachi has followed the Prime Minister’s instructions to visit countries concerned and to make efforts to develop relationships with his counterparts in those countries. His recent visit to China was a part of these efforts, where he met and exchanged opinions with State Councilor Yang Jiechi.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the reform of agricultural cooperatives. The Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-ZENCHU) yesterday announced its own reform proposals. Reform of agricultural cooperatives is positioned as one of the pillars of the Growth Strategy of the Abe administration. Could you tell us of the Government’s appraisal of JA-ZENCHU’s proposals?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware that JA-ZENCHU has announced its own reform proposals concerning the reform of agricultural cooperatives. While the Government will of course take into account the opinions expressed by JA-ZENCHU with regard to agricultural cooperative reform, in accordance with the Regulatory Reform Work Plan that was approved by the Cabinet in June, the Government’s policy is to engage in fundamental reforms that will enable local agricultural cooperatives to play a central role and to channel all of their energy towards turning agriculture into a growth industry. We are currently advancing deliberations with a view to submitting the relevant bills to the Diet in the next ordinary Diet session. With regard to the reform proposals of JA-ZENCHU, it must be said that there are some questions about whether they are in line with the direction set out by the Government and ruling parties, including JA-ZENCHU’s proposal that its successor organization would maintain mandatory audit rights over individual agricultural cooperatives. I understand that JA-ZENCHU has expressed its intention to engage in further considerations in consultation with the Government and ruling parties. The Government hopes that these considerations will lead JA-ZENCHU to adopt a direction in line with our own and that of the ruling parties. In any event, the Government and ruling parties will take the lead in finalizing reform proposals by the end of the year.

REPORTER: I have a related question. In JA-ZENCHU’s own reform proposals, while the central organizational structure would give up any across-the-board management and guidance of agricultural cooperatives, it would nonetheless maintain an auditing function, based on law. It has been pointed out that this proposal is different from the Government’s policy to engage in fundamental reform of agricultural cooperatives. What are your opinions on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I just stated, there are concerns that the proposals set out by JA-ZENCHU differ from the position of the Government and the ruling parties. However, I understand that JA-ZENCHU has expressed its intention to engage in further considerations in consultation with the Government and ruling parties, and we hope that these considerations will lead JA-ZENCHU to adopt a direction in line with our own and that of the ruling parties. The Government and ruling parties will take the lead in compiling the reform proposals by the end of the year.

(Abridged)