Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&AS
 
REPORTER: President Trump has announced that the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting will take place on June 12 in Singapore. Can I ask for a comment from the Government on this announcement?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NOGAMI: The Government welcomes that the arrangements towards the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting have been progressing. We hope that the actions to be taken by North Korea would be shown in a more concrete manner and that the future path forward would become clearer in the summit meeting. We also strongly hope that the summit meeting will provide an opportunity to make progress on the nuclear and missile issues, as well as the abduction issue, which is our top priority above all. We will continue to make preparations together with the United States, while thoroughly conveying our position to the U.S.
 
REPORTER: Various candidates had been considered for the venue of the summit meeting; it was finally decided to choose Singapore. What is the Government’s analysis of the objectives and background of this decision?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NOGAMI: I am not in a position to make comments regarding the process of the consultations between the U.S. and North Korea that led to a decision to hold the summit meeting in Singapore. I would say that the Government considers that Singapore was chosen as it offers appropriate surroundings to discuss the North Korean issues in the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting and makes this occasion special in the context of global peace.
 
REPORTER: I have a question about the Joint Declaration of the Seventh Japan-China- Republic of Korea (ROK) Trilateral Summit released late at night on May 9. On the recognition of history, the latest declaration uses the expression, “Reaffirming that the three countries share everlasting history and infinite future, ” while the expression “In the spirit of facing history squarely” was used in the previous declaration two years ago. I hear that China wanted to follow the wording that was used in the previous declaration. Could you tell us of the Government’s thoughts and objectives in using the wording that appears in the final text of the latest declaration?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NOGAMI: Given that this declaration was released in the 10^th anniversary year of the Trilateral Summit, the Government sought to use an expression that would appropriately encapsulate the future-oriented cooperation steadily advanced over the course of the previous decade.
 
(Abridged)
 
REPORTER: The U.S.-North Korea summit meeting is scheduled to take place almost exactly a month from now on June 12, which will also be shortly after the G7 Summit. What is your analysis of this timeframe?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NOGAMI: As I have already noted, the Government welcomes that the arrangements towards the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting have been progressing. We hope that the outcomes of the summit will provide further clarity concerning a way forward.
 
REPORTER: I expect that for Japan, the biggest hope is that progress will be made on the abduction issue. In order to resolve the abduction issue, it is likely that ultimately it will be necessary to hold a Japan-North Korea summit meeting. What is the Government’s view of the prospect of a Japan-North Korea summit meeting and how is it working towards the meeting?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NOGAMI: Firstly, Japan has been consistently seeking to normalize relations with North Korea, in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, through comprehensively resolving outstanding issues of concern such as the abductions, nuclear and missile issues as well as settlement of the unfortunate past. At the same time, any Japan-North Korea summit meeting would have to result in the resolution of the nuclear and missile issues, and above all the abduction issue, which is a top priority for the Government. In view of the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit meeting, the Government will continue to engage in close trilateral cooperation with the United States and the ROK as we seek to elicit concrete actions from North Korea.
 
(Abridged)