Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: The Japan-U.S.-India trilateral joint maritime military exercise Malabar kicked off today. This will be the first exercise since Japan’s participation in Malabar on a regular basis was agreed upon at the Japan-India summit meeting last December. Can you once again explain the significance of this exercise?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: With regard to the matter you referred to, the Japan-U.S.-India joint training, Malabar 2016, will be conducted from today until June 17 in an area extending from Sasebo to the seas east of Okinawa. This will be the fifth time for the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to participate in this training. I have been briefed that a destroyer and a rescue flying boat will be participating from Japan. The objective of the MSDF’s participation in this training is to improve its tactical skills and deepen cooperation with the United States and India.

REPORTER: I have a related question. Recently, a Chinese Navy vessel entered the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands. Do you consider that deepening cooperative relations with countries such as the United States and India will contribute to keeping a check against China, which has been conducting increasingly active maritime forays?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I stated moments ago, the objective of the MSDF’s participation in this training is to improve its tactical skills and, furthermore, deepen cooperation with the United States and India. The training does not have any particular country or region in mind.

(Abridged)