Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Changing topic, I have a question about the transfer of the Futenma Air Station used by the US military forces. Mr. Takeshi Onaga, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, just filed a request for a review by the Committee for Settling National-Local Disputes as an appeal against the correction directive from the national government regarding the Prefecture’s cancelation of its approval for land reclamation at the planned transfer site. While this is a procedure based on the settlement terms, please explain your view. 

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: This is just one of the steps from the settlement that the Government and Okinawa Prefecture agreed to. The settlement terms call for taking the lawsuit battle back to the starting point prior to the three lawsuits and consolidating into a single lawsuit focusing on the suitability of Governor Onaga’s elimination of the land reclamation approval through the Committee for Settling National-Local Disputes. The terms also include other procedures, such as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism issuing the correction directive. To move the process along quickly, the settlement agrees to shortening the period allowed for making the review request to the Committee for Settling National-Local Disputes and filing the lawsuit to within one week, rather than the normal timing of within 30 days. The settlement clearly states that the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism and the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture will cooperate fully to facilitate quick reviews and judgments by the Committee and Court. It was also agreed to conduct negotiations toward finding a solution to the return of the Futenma Air Station and land reclamation project until a decision is rendered, and this is happening. The settlement envisions a simultaneous, parallel process in both of these areas. I believe Okinawa Prefecture is moving forward with procedures in line with the settlement terms, and the Government intends to cooperate fully, along with Okinawa Prefecture, to facilitate a prompt review and decision by the Committee.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question about the Government’s tourism strategy. I think the Government is currently working on a new tourism vision that it aims to finish during March. Could you explain the significance of having the Prime Minister’s Office take the lead in deciding the strategy? Also, I believe you are actually attending the Working Group meetings. What are your thoughts about the effect of having the Prime Minister’s Office lead this effort?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I suppose one could say it is being driven by the Prime Minister’s Office. The Japanese people are already very excited about tourism activity, and I think they are seeing major changes in a visible way. Japan still has significant potential, and promotion of a tourism-oriented country is a core component of our growth strategy and regional revitalization efforts and is also vital to realization of an economy worth 600 trillion yen. Within this context, it is important for all of the Government’s ministries and agencies, not only the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, to put their utmost efforts toward achievement of a single goal. For example, relaxation of visa issuance rules played a major role in recent advances in tourism. Yet this had not been possible previously without an effort led by the Prime Minister’s Office because of the involvement of the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this sense, the Prime Minister’s political leadership and strong instructions resulted in the decision to relax visa rules. Related ministers met, and the decision took less than ten minutes. In the case of Thailand, visitors rose around 85% in the month after relaxing the visa rules. While vertical divisions among ministries had prevented progress in the past, this decision led by the Prime Minister’s Office contributed to a substantial increase. Speeding up the entry process has naturally become an issue. This is also a matter that goes beyond just the Ministry of Justice and involves the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, and it can be resolved in a one-stop manner by holding a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office. Providing access to cultural assets, national parks, and Japan’s other excellent tourism resources to the Japanese people and foreigners also requires decisions at an overall level within the context of the government’s overall policy. Industrial development and education are also related. Japan needs strategic initiatives that cut across the various ministries, and the Prime Minister’s Office has led these decisions.
 
(Abridged)