Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: On May 15, Ambassador Toshio Sano, Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, speaking at a meeting of the main committee at the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) requested the reinstatement of text that calls on world leaders and others to visit the sites in Japan that were subjected to atomic bombing. At the current point, however, the text remains deleted. The Government is seeking to recover from this setback by taking such measures as dispatching Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama. What is the Government’s outlook for achieving the inclusion and adoption of this text on May 22?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The proposal to call on political leaders and young people around the world to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki was made based on the perspective that touching directly on the realities of nuclear bombing and sharing with other nations Japan’s desire for a world free from nuclear weapons would contribute to the promotion of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We are making every effort to achieve the inclusion of this proposal in the outcome document of the 2015 NPT Review Conference and in the first place the proposal itself bears no relation to historical issues.

REPORTER: I have a question about Nepal. The Government of Nepal has announced that the number of lives claimed as a result of the earthquake on April 25 has reached 8,583. In a press conference on May 17, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala of Nepal expressed gratitude for the assistance provided to date by the international community, including Japan, and requested cooperation for contributions to a Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Fund, which requires further funding. Can I ask for the Government’s views on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government of Japan has engaged in various measures to date, including the dispatch of an international disaster relief team and the provision of emergency relief supplies. In addition, a decision has been made to provide US$14 million in emergency grant aid through international organizations. This emergency grant aid includes provision of food, medical supplies, shelter, health-related assistance, water and sanitation equipment. The Government of Japan seeks to provide seamless and effective assistance to the greatest extent possible to Nepal in the post-disaster recovery and reconstruction phases.

(Abridged)