Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As
(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question about the United Nations Security Council resolution related to North Korea. The United States and China reached an agreement on a new resolution against North Korea being negotiated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Regarding the content of the draft resolution, is it already being shared with non-permanent member countries, including Japan? Please explain the current situation.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The current situation is that progress has occurred between the United States and China related to sanctions against North Korea, and final coordination is currently taking place among related countries. While cooperating closely with related countries, Japan continues to put its utmost efforts into the earliest possible agreement on and adoption of a resolution that includes forceful measures. While it is difficult to predict the timing for adoption of the resolution at this point, we are doing our utmost so that a resolution with forceful measures is adopted as swiftly as possible.

REPORTER: This is a related question. You just mentioned forceful measures. Do you think the content of the resolution and sanctions currently being shared will be fairly strong in terms of efficacy?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: While it is still not at a concrete stage, Japan is putting utmost efforts into achieving the swiftest possible adoption of a resolution with strong measures.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Regarding the problem related to TEPCO not realizing for five years that an internal manual that existed at the time of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactor accident contained a set of standards for assessing a meltdown of the nuclear reactor core, various related parties have been highly critical and expressed concern that this undermines the ability to build trust with the general public. Please explain your thoughts.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, I think it is extremely important for TEPCO to constantly reflect on and investigate the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactor accident. It is obviously not possible to operate nuclear power plants without the understanding of the local community, and this makes it vital to secure trust from the general public. Within this context, I find it very regrettable that TEPCO did not sufficiently confirm the manual that was recently disclosed when it was asked by Niigata Prefecture about the basis for its determination of the possibility of a core meltdown at the time of the accident, and that it gave Niigata Prefecture an incorrect explanation in light of the recent discovery of this manual. I expect the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to provide TEPCO with stern guidance so that it carefully explains the facts to Niigata Prefecture with an awareness that nuclear power plants cannot operate without the trust of the local area, and so that it continues to engage in suitable responses, including the investigation of what occurred during the accident, in order to prevent accidents from happening again and to obtain the general public’s trust.

REPORTER: Changing topic, Mr. Toshihiro Nikai, who chairs the Liberal Democratic Party’s General Council, stated that now is the time to switch to aggressive fiscal action in an internet program yesterday, alluding to the possibility of putting together a supplementary budget for fiscal 2016. While deliberations are currently taking place on the main budget for the new fiscal year, is the Government considering this in light of stock price and forex rate movements and other trends?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Regarding Japan’s economic situation, there has not been a basic recognition that fundamentals are healthy amid continuing improvements by corporate earnings as well as job and income environments. The Government intends to make further advances in initiatives for economic revitalization with the goal of overcoming deflation by working together with the Bank of Japan and while continuing to monitor the global economy and market trends, and deepening collaborative efforts with G7 countries toward achieving global economic growth and stabilizing financial markets. In this vein, we plan to implement the fiscal 2015 supplemental budget that has already passed as quickly as possible. We also aim to pass the fiscal 2016 budget, which is currently in deliberations, as soon as possible. The Government intends to put its utmost efforts into swift implementation of the supplemental budget and passing the main budget during the current fiscal year as top priorities.

(Abridged)