Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

(Abridged)

Q&As

REPORTER: I have a question about the Japan-U.S. joint press conference. In the press conference Prime Minister Abe announced that Japan will be imposing additional  sanction measures against North Korea independently. He noted that the new measures would apply to 35 North Korean entities and individuals. Could you tell us specifically what kind of entities will be subjected to these additional measures?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Japan intends to use all means to maximize pressure on North Korea and make it change its policies. It is based on this concept that tomorrow, November 7, the Cabinet is scheduled to approve the freezing of assets of 35 North Korean entities and individuals, with a view to resolving the issue of North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, and above all, the abduction issue. The reason that the announcement has been made today, following the Japan-U.S. summit meeting, is because it was considered significant from the perspective of further advancing solidarity between Japan and the United States in strengthening pressure on North Korea.

REPORTER: Are we to understand that the 35 entities and individuals are involved in nuclear or missile-related development?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: A full announcement will be made tomorrow, so I would ask you to wait until tomorrow for the details of the entities and individuals that will be subject to the new measures.

REPORTER: To date you have spoken often about how the various United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions are severe and how it is important to ensure their full implementation. Could you explain to us, therefore, the purpose of taking additional sanction measures independently at this timing?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, as I have already mentioned, the Government is constantly engaged in considerations about what would be the most effective means of resolving the issue of North Korea’s nuclear and missile development and the abduction issue. We certainly recognize that the UNSC resolutions that were adopted in August and September were unprecedentedly strong in terms of their content. While the Government will of course be carefully monitoring whether or not these resolutions are fully implemented, Japan is also tackling the abduction issue. The President of the United States is visiting Japan and we have held a Japan-U.S. summit meeting. Tomorrow we will demonstrate our resolve and the announcement we will make will be based on the determination that this will be an effective means towards the resolution of nuclear and missile development issues and the abduction issue.

REPORTER: You have just mentioned the resolution of the abduction issue and today President Trump met with the families of the abductees. Could you tell us once again the aim in arranging a meeting between the President and the families and what the Government thinks about the outcomes of the meeting?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, today both leaders met with the families of the abductees. I have received a report that both leaders confirmed that Japan and the United States will engage in further cooperation towards resolving the abduction issue as soon as possible. I understand that President Trump spoke with the families of the abductees and listened very carefully to what they had to say. I believe that deepening the President’s understanding of the abduction issue in this way will have a very positive impact towards the resolution of the issue. To date, the Abe administration has engaged in all manner of measures with a view to resolving the top priority issue of the abduction as soon as possible. Today we realized a meeting between the President of the United States, one of the world’s most influential people, and the families of the abductees. Japan and the United States will continue to work closely together towards the resolution of this issue.

REPORTER: While Japan and the United States have indeed confirmed that they will work together to resolve the abduction issue, North Korea is strongly opposed to the increased pressure that Japan and the United States are imposing and at this point it does not appear to be willing to engage in negotiations about resolving the abduction issue. What path forward is the Government considering towards achieving the return home of the abductees from North Korea?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Under a basic policy of “dialogue and pressure” and “action for action,” we will continue to engage in Japan-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) cooperation, as well as working together with China, Russia and the international community in placing pressure on North Korea. Based on this approach we will make North Korea change its policies.

REPORTER: If that is the case, is it the Government’s view that rather than seeking to engage in dialogue about the abduction issue, the first priority is to apply further pressure on North Korea, which will result in the resolution of the issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Government’s stance is basically as I have just described it.

REPORTER: I have a question about the World Bank Group’s Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi). At the World Assembly for Women: WAW! 2017 on November 3, Prime Minister Abe announced that Japan will contribute 50 million dollars to this facility that Ms. Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President of the United States, was involved in establishing. I would like to ask about the Government’s aim in making this contribution and would also like to confirm whether the 50 million dollars announced by the Prime Minister at WAW! is the same contribution of 50 million dollars that was announced at the time of the G20 Summit.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: To give you the short answer, they are the same. Japan plans to contribute 50 million dollars to We-Fi, the establishment of which was announced by the World Bank and participating countries at the G20 Hamburg Summit in July. By providing women entrepreneurs in developing countries with assistance to overcome the challenges they face, We-Fi aims to support the economic empowerment of women in developing countries and promote their social and economic participation in society. The facility is managed and operated by the World Bank Group and 14 participating countries. By contributing to We-Fi the Government aims to actively support the empowerment of women in developing countries and help to realize societies in which all women shine, both in Japan and overseas.