Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to provide an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 8 general and other measures, including the draft Policy Speech by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the 189th Session of the Diet and 3 other draft speeches, as well as the budgets for the general account, special accounts and budget relating to government organizations for fiscal 2015. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister for Foreign Affairs made a statement concerning the draft Foreign Policy Speech to the 189th Session of the Diet; Minister Amari made a statement concerning the Fiscal 2015 Economic Outlook and Basic Stance for Economic and Fiscal Management, and preliminary mid- to long-term fiscal calculations; and the Minister of Finance made a statement concerning the budget for fiscal 2015.

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Parts of the media have reported that the diplomatic authorities from Japan and North Korea held unofficial consultations in China at the end of January regarding the reinvestigation of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea. Could you please confirm the facts?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to refrain from commenting on such partial reports.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: If I may change the subject, I have a question regarding operations for eliminating the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” (ISIL). President Obama of the United States submitted a proposal to Congress to authorize the introduction of ground troops. Does the Japanese Government support the expansion of operations to eliminate ISIL?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, the United States and the international community have adopted measures to counter the common threat of ISIL. I understand that the recent proposal to authorize the exercise of military force was part of these measures. To date, Japan has consistently supported the measures of the international community, including the United States, to counter ISIL.

REPORTER: I have a related question. In addition to the existing humanitarian assistance the Japanese Government has provided in the Middle East, are you considering any other measures in support of the military operations of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Global Coalition is engaged in five lines of effort. In Japan’s case, the humanitarian assistance we have continued to provide to date has been highly appreciated by the countries of the Middle East, and these countries continue to hold high expectations of us. At present there are over 10 million refugees and displaced persons who truly face extremely severe conditions in terms of housing, food, and other basic needs. Japan will continue to provide thorough humanitarian assistance to them.

(Abridged)