Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: Today marks your 1,290th day as Chief Cabinet Secretary, making you the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary. First of all, can you please share with us your candid views looking back on the administration of the Government so far?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: For one thing, I honestly cannot believe it has been that long. When I was appointed Chief Cabinet Secretary, never did I imagine that I would be serving in this position for all this time. Ever since we secured victory in the general election aiming to inaugurate the second Abe administration, I have worked hard to realize the clear vision presented by the Prime Minister. At the time, we set out the major goals of exiting deflation, revitalizing the Japanese economy, establishing a thorough crisis management system, and accelerating the reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, and we have been making efforts to achieve these goals. Last year, the Prime Minister was reelected in the presidential election of the Liberal Democratic Party and set out a new goal of realizing a society in which all citizens are dynamically engaged. Based on these goals, the Abe administration’s basic policy has been to provide an index for the people to clearly demonstrate what the administration aspires to do and to build on its wide-ranging drive for reform and on the power of politics to move this country forward. I believe my role is to steadily create an environment that will allow the Government as a whole to make forward progress, based on the policies of the Prime Minister.

REPORTER: I have a related question. What policy solutions do you hope to achieve while you are Chief Cabinet Secretary?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As I stated moments ago, we have been working to achieve the major pillars that were outlined during the general election. In a sense, today, policies that cut across ministries and agencies are increasingly needed in order to solve many challenges. In this context, I hope to steadily realize what the Prime Minister newly set out, namely, a society in which all citizens are dynamically engaged, including a strong economy, childcare supports, and social security. 

REPORTER: I have a related question. I imagine that you have made a variety of judgments and decisions over the past 1,290 days as Chief Cabinet Secretary. Which decisions were the most difficult or painful for you?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The one that is deeply ingrained in my memory is the incident in Algeria. This was a major incident that happened about one month after we were appointed. On this occasion, I gained a full understanding of what measures were needed for the various ministries and agencies to take responses as one.

REPORTER: You have remained in your Chief Cabinet Secretary post since the inauguration of the second Abe administration. Is it your wish to continue to support the Prime Minister in this capacity for as long as the Abe administration continues?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Prime Minister has sole prerogative to make personnel decisions, so this is for the Prime Minister to consider. Having said that, in whatever post I am serving, my responsibility in my respective posts is to steadily move this country forward under the leadership of this administration or Prime Minister Abe. This will not change regardless of the post.

(Abridged)