Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: The Government created an Information Liaison Office in the Crisis Management Center timed to the start of the G7 Summit. What is the purpose of setting up the Office and what types of surveillance and monitoring activities will it handle?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY: The Ise-Shima Summit begins tomorrow, and leaders of major countries will be arriving in Japan today and tomorrow. The Government is making extensive efforts to ensure the safety of key officials and prevent terrorism or other disruptions from occurring ahead of time and is also doing whatever it can to be prepared to respond to any circumstance. Within this context, the Government created the Information Liaison Office related to the Ise-Shima Summit at the Prime Minister’s Crisis Management Center at 2 p.m. today and thereby strengthened its capabilities to coordinate between related ministries and agencies and related entities located at the Summit site.

REPORTER: This is a related question. Will all information related to terrorism from the National Police Agency, Japan Coast Guard, and other entities be consolidated at this Office?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY: Yes, that’s correct. We created the Office with the aim of having robust capabilities in place to fully address overall crisis management.

REPORTER: It appears that the Japan-US Summit Meeting will take place tonight. Please explain adjustments related to this meeting.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY: We are currently making the final adjustments to hold the meeting tonight. While it has not been decided yet, final adjustments are taking place.

REPORTER: I would like to change the topic to the consumption tax. Some media sources are reporting that Prime Minister Abe plans to hold a press conference on June 1 when the Ordinary Diet Session finishes and state his intention to postpone the consumption tax hike slated for April 2017. Will Prime Minister Abe hold a briefing and make this type of announcement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY: Prime Minister Abe has consistently said that he will make an appropriate decision at the right timing in light of various factors, including the Summit, and has not wavered from this position at all.