Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: A short while ago at around 10:30 a.m., an artificial tremor was detected in the northern region of North Korea. Could you tell us any information the Government currently has, including the possibility of a nuclear test?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: At around 10:30 a.m. today the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) detected seismic waves originating from an epicenter in North Korea or in its vicinity. According to the JMA, these waves may differ from the ordinary waveform of a natural earthquake. Based on previous cases, given that there is a possibility that a nuclear test has been conducted by North Korea, senior officials of the various ministries and agencies concerned were called urgently to the Prime Minister’s Office and the intelligence liaison office for North Korean-related affairs was reorganized to become the response office relating to intelligence on the implementation of a nuclear test. The office is continuing to gather and analyze intelligence.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a related question. I believe that in order to confirm whether a test has taken place it will ultimately be necessary to assess whether any nuclear materials have been released into the atmosphere. Has the Government received any information about the means of confirming such materials, from the United States or the Republic of Korea (ROK), for example?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Based on previous cases the Government considered that there is a possibility that North Korea has conducted a nuclear test and therefore immediately created a response office at the Prime Minister’s Office. Given past cases the Government is of course also gathering and analyzing information from various sources.

(Abridged)
 
REPORTER: On a related note, could you tell us about the scale and the time of the earthquake as recorded by the JMA?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The earthquake occurred at around 10:30 a.m. today and had a magnitude of 5.1.

REPORTER: Is it known where the earthquake occurred in North Korea?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The earthquake occurred at a longitude of 41.6 degrees north and a latitude of 129.2 degrees east.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: If I may return to the matter relating to North Korea, has the Prime Minister issued any instructions?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I noted previously, given the possibility that a nuclear test has taken place, the intelligence liaison office for North Korean-related affairs was immediately reorganized to become the response office relating to intelligence on the implementation of a nuclear test. The office is currently still engaged in the collection and analysis of information.