Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As
 
REPORTER: I have a question regarding the Japan-U.S. summit meeting, which is due to be held tomorrow morning, Japan time. Given that President Trump stated that he no longer wanted to use the term “maximum pressure” in relation to the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting, it is undeniable that the policy of the United States is changing back and forth. Is the Government not concerned about whether President Trump will actually raise the abduction issue at the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting, as requested by Japan?
 
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Discussions are continuing to take place towards the summit meeting in Singapore on June 12 between the United States and North Korea. Japan welcomes the efforts being made towards this historic U.S.-North Korea summit meeting. We will use all available opportunities, including the Japan-U.S. summit meeting that will be held shortly in Washington D.C., so as to closely coordinate policies with the United States to ensure that the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting provides an opportunity to make substantial progress on the nuclear and missile issues, and, above all, the abduction issue. We have absolutely no concerns about our close Japan-U.S. cooperation.
 
REPORTER: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has made it public that it is planning to lift import restrictions on fruit and vegetables from Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba, four prefectures, excluding Fukushima, which have been in place since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The Legislative Council is due to engage in formal discussions on this matter from June 12 onwards. Could I ask for a comment from the Government on this policy?
 
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: On June 5, the Food and Health Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region submitted a proposal to the Legislative Council to revise the restrictions currently in place. The Government welcomes these positive moves by the relevant authorities in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Japan has consistently called for the lifting or easing of import restrictions on food products from Japan, including Fukushima Prefecture. Given that the new proposal excludes Fukushima, we will continue to call on Hong Kong to lift or ease restrictions on all regions, including Fukushima. Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident is a matter of the utmost importance for the Government. We will continue to use all available opportunities to widely disseminate information about Japan’s food safety and call on countries and regions that have restrictions in place to lift or ease such restrictions.