Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The Prime Minister has just held a meeting with Mr. António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Could you tell us whether the Prime Minister received a briefing on the recent visit to North Korea by Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In the meeting the Prime Minister and the UN Secretary-General were completely in agreement that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is essential for peace and stability in the region. They also affirmed the necessity of fully implementing the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the need for meaningful dialogue towards denuclearization, against the backdrop of North Korea’s continuing nuclear and missile development. They also concurred on the importance of swiftly resolving the abduction issue. I would like to refrain from going into more specific details.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: A Government survey has shown that when the J-ALERT warning system was triggered in August and September, when North Korea launched ballistic missiles that flew over Hokkaido, approximately five percent of people actually took action to protect themselves. What is the Government’s view concerning this five percent figure?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, the Government has engaged in efforts through the Cabinet Secretariat’s Civil Protection Portal Site to raise awareness about what actions to take in the event that a ballistic missile is landing. However, the survey has shown that the details about what actions to take are not yet sufficiently known. It will be necessary to further engage in raising public awareness-raising. We will work to strengthen the measures that have been implemented to date.

REPORTER: As you have just noted the Civil Protection Portal Site has newly uploaded information about what actions to take in the event that a ballistic missile is landing. If North Korea actually attempts a missile strike it is likely that the missile will be fitted with a warhead of some kind. Despite this possibility, the portal site only features information about a ballistic missile landing and there is no mentioning of the thing that would be most problematic and would be likely to concern the public most, namely the case in which the missile is fitted with a nuclear or biological weapon. The Government may be of the view that the public should take the same actions in such a situation. I believe that it is likely that information on the kind of weapon that might actually be carried on a missile would change the awareness and degree of interest of the public. What is your view on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, it is impossible to know what kind of missile has been launched until it lands. The Government is working to raise public awareness about the evacuation actions that should be taken prior to a missile landing, including sheltering inside buildings or underground, as a means of avoiding injury and damage due to the bomb blast and flying debris when a ballistic missile lands. In any event, a missile would land in  Japan within ten minutes of its launch. On that basis, the Government is considering the measures that could be taken within that timeframe, including consideration of the matters that you mentioned.