Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga
(Abridged)

Q&As

REPORTER: In today’s Budget Committee meeting of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister indicated his opinion that negotiations with Russia concerning the Northern Territories would not be tied up with the issue of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. In the Leaders’ Declaration issued at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit in May the annexation was condemned, so do you think that other countries will be understanding of Japan’s position on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I do not think there is any contradiction in our stance. The Prime Minister started his response by noting that he did not fully understand what the question about the issues being “tied up” meant, but went on to state that the issue of Crimea would not be included in any negotiations between Japan and Russia over the Northern Territories. In any event, there is absolutely no change to the Government’s stance on this matter.

REPORTER: I have another Russia-related question. There are reports that in the negotiations Russia has been requesting that the Siberian Railway be extended to link Sakhalin with Hokkaido. This is an initiative that the Russian Government has mentioned previously, so does the Government have any sense that specific moves are being made towards implementation of such an initiative?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, it is a fact that Japan and Russia have agreed to work towards the realization of an eight-point economic cooperation plan. The Governments are currently engaged in communication at various levels on a broad range of matters, in anticipation of President Putin’s visit to Japan. The Russian side has presented various proposals relating to economic matters, but I would like to refrain from speaking about specific contents as these proposals are part of diplomatic interactions.

(Abridged)