Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

(Abridged)

Q&As

REPORTER: Yesterday the Ministry of Defense issued a statement about a peculiar incident in which an intelligence collection vessel of the Chinese Navy sailed repeatedly back and forth in international waters south of the Senkaku Islands. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concerns to China about this matter, but as this most recent incident did not involve the entry of the Chinese vessel into the contiguous zone or Japanese territorial waters, what aspect is the Government of Japan concerned about?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, at around 5:00 p.m. on June 19, the supply vessel Hamana of the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) observed an intelligence collection vessel of the Chinese Navy sailing eastward down waters outside of the contiguous zone at the south of the Senkaku Islands. The MSDF observed the Chinese vessel sailing back and forth several times between east and west until around 2:00 p.m., on June 20. The Chinese vessel was the identical one that had sailed down Japanese territorial waters off Kuchinoerabu Island on June 15 and the Japanese contiguous zone off Kitadaito Island on June 16. In response to this, in the afternoon of June 20 the Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed our concern to a minister of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo regarding the overall conduct of the Chinese Navy, which continues to take unilateral actions that heighten tensions in the seas surrounding Japan, such as the recent entry of a Chinese Navy military vessel into the contiguous zone near the Senkaku Islands, followed by the passage of the information-gathering vessel through Japan’s territorial waters and contiguous zone, and now this peculiar passage by the same information-gathering vessel in the seas south of the Senkaku Islands, even though this occurred outside the contiguous zone. In any event, the Government of Japan will continue to engage thoroughly in warning and surveillance activities in the waters or airspace in the vicinity of Japan.

(Abridged)
 
REPORTER: I have a question concerning the United Nations. At a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held at UN European headquarters on June 20, a resolution of Tomigusuku City Assembly in Okinawa Prefecture has called for the immediate withdrawal of two previous recommendations issued to the Government of Japan by UN committees that the people of Okinawa be recognized as indigenous peoples. What is the Government’s view with regard to this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, with regard to the previous recommendations from the UN Human Rights Committee that consideration should be given to recognizing the people of Okinawa as an indigenous people, I am aware that there are various opinions in Okinawa on this matter, including the resolution passed by Tomigusuku City Assembly that calls for the withdrawal of the recommendations. My understanding is that the people who reside in Okinawa have over the course of their long history passed down unique and rich culture and traditions. The Government’s existing stance on this issue is that other than the Ainu people, there are no other groups recognized in Japan to be indigenous people. The Government has explained this position to the UN Human Rights Committee and will continue to do so thoroughly.

(Abridged)