Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As
REPORTER: From last night to today, Russian and Chinese military vessels entered the contiguous zone near the Senkaku Islands. Please explain the specific facts known by the Government and the Government’s response.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Let’s start with the facts. One Chinese Navy ship entered Japan’s contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands at around 0:50am today. It moved out of Japan’s contiguous zone by the Senkaku Islands at about 3:10am this morning. The Government held a meeting of bureau-level officials of related ministries and agencies under the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management and established an information liaison office at the Prime Minister’s Office’s Crisis Management Center immediately after the ship entered the contiguous zone. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe immediately received a report on the situation, and he issued instructions to take measures to prepare for contingencies through the close cooperation of relevant ministries and agencies, to collaborate closely with the United States and other related countries, and to put fullest efforts into readiness and monitoring. The entry of a Navy vessel into Japan’s contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands for the first time,following the previous intrusions into our territorial waters by government-owned vessels based on China’s own assertions regarding the Senkaku Islands, is an action that unilaterally raises tensions and represents a serious concern for Japan. In light of this incident, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akitaka Saiki called China’s Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua to the Minister of Foreign Affairs at around 2:00am today to express serious concern and lodge a protest and request that the vessel immediately leaves Japan’s contiguous zone. The Senkaku Islands are an inherent part of Japan’s  territory historically and under international law, and the Government intends to respond resolutely and in a level-headed manner in order to firmly protect our territory, territorial waters, and territorial airspace. Japan also plans to strongly appeal to China, while collaborating with the United States and international community as a whole, not to engage in this type of action that unilaterally raises tensions. These are the related facts.

REPORTER: This is a related question. Does the Japanese Government see some relationship or correlation in the entry into the contiguous zone at around the same time by military vessels of two countries (China and Russia) this time? What is the Government’s view of the intent?
 
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government is currently reviewing the potential correlation and is analyzing information.

REPORTER: This is a related question. Does the Government think the aim of this entry by a Chinese military ship into the contiguous zone is an effort by the Chinese side to disseminate its own claims regarding territorial rights for the Senkaku Islands to the international community? 

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to refrain from saying anything conclusive regarding the aim of the action by the Chinese Navy vessel. At any rate, the Government intends to respond resolutely and in a level-headed manner based on a strong resolve to firmly protect Japan’s territory, territorial waters, and territorial airspace.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Japan has not lodged a protest with the Russian side. Please explain how the Government categorizes actions and intents of China and Russia.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: China regularly makes unique claims regarding the Senkaku Islands, and the entry of a Chinese Navy vessel into Japan’s contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands for the first time, following the previous intrusions into our territorial waters by government-owned vessels based on China’s own assertions regarding the Senkaku Islands, is an action that unilaterally raises tensions and represents a serious concern for Japan. Given this backdrop, Japan responded appropriately through the diplomatic channel. Japan did not conduct the same response in Russia’s case because these circumstances do not exist. At any rate, we issued necessary warnings in response to China’s action that unilaterally raises tensions and to Russia as well.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: This is related to China though on a different topic. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expressed concern in a report that China is trying to unfairly strengthen regulations on foreign IT-related companies supposedly as part of safety measures for the Internet. Passage of the bill currently being reviewed in China is likely to have a major impact on foreign companies. How does the Government plan to respond, including in the future? 

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I am aware that some Japanese companies are concerned that these regulations might affect business activities in China as you just noted. The Government is communicating concerns related to the subject regulations tot the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.