Press Conferences

Mr. Yasuhisa Kawamura, Foreign Press Secretary: I would like to begin with a statement on the suicide terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Japan is greatly shocked and indignant at the terrorist attack with a suicide car bomb and the following gunfight which occurred in the vicinity of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on April 19 (same day local time). Japan expresses its sincere condolences to those who lost their lives and their bereaved families. Japan also extends its heartfelt sympathies toward the injured, and prays for their earliest recovery.

Such an act of terrorism, which tramples on efforts for peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan, cannot be tolerated for any reason, and Japan expresses its firm condemnation. Japan condemns terrorism in all forms regardless of its purposes, and strongly reiterates that no act of terrorism can be justified.

Japan is actively working for the stability of Afghanistan in the fields of political process, security, and reconstruction assistance, under the objective of not allowing Afghanistan to revert to a hotbed of terrorism, and it intends to continue its support.

Odanaka, Mainichi Shimbun: Mr. David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, who was visiting Japan from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), completed his survey and held a press conference yesterday. While he spoke favorably about the freedom of media in Japan in general, he also expressed concerns regarding Broadcast Law issues and the need for revisions to the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. In his comments at the Committee on Foreign Affairs today, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that it was regrettable that the report did not reflect some of the Government’s explanations. Could you explain again the Government’s view of UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s press conference and his opinions and also specifically clarify the points where it is regrettable due to not having its explanation reflected?

Press Secretary Kawamura: Regarding the first point, issues and concerns about Japan’s freedom of the media and Japan’s legal system raised by UN Special Rapporteur Kaye differ from the position of the Government of Japan and do not sufficiently reflect the Government’s explanation on these points. The Government of Japan carefully explained its views on the various points you cited to UN Special Rapporteur Kaye, but the Government thinks the recommendations and opinions do no not sufficiently reflect the explanations, judging from UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s comments at yesterday’s press conference on the report. The Government hence intends to conduct a thorough review of the content of UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s press conference and make an appropriate response.

Regarding the second point, UN Special Rapporteur Kaye spoke about the generally high level of freedom of expression in Japan, as noted in your question, and particularly that Japan’s freedom of expression on the Internet is among the highest in the world. On the other hand, he also made assertions under other points that are not accurate, such as that the Government of Japan puts pressure on media outlets and media-related individuals. Furthermore, the Government carefully explained Article 4 and other parts of the Broadcast Law, and it thinks that this explanation is not reflected in UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s recommendations and opinions.

Additionally, regarding the exchange of opinions between the UN Special Rapporteur and Ms. Sanae Takaichi, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, this meeting did not occur, despite efforts to make scheduling coordination, because of deliberations on bills during the ongoing Session of the National Diet. These deliberations on bills at the National Diet as well as responses to the Kumamoto Earthquake prevented a meeting. Nevertheless, the Government provided a careful explanation of UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s items of interest, including the Broadcast Law, as I mentioned before.

The Government also carefully explained the textbook authorization process, including its relation to the comfort women issue and other matters, and the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. Despite this, the Government believes that the content it explained is not reflected in the recommendations and opinions.

These are the main examples. The Government thinks that concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteur Kaye and his opinions expressed at the press conference do not sufficiently reflect the explanations provided by the Government during his visit to Japan. The Government of Japan finds it regrettable.

Mie, Japan Times: You just mentioned conducting a review and taking suitable action. Does this mean that the Government might lodge a protest?

Press Secretary Kawamura: I think you can take my words at face value. UN Special Rapporteur Kaye plans to submit a report to the UNHRC during 2017, and the Government of Japan intends to provide explanations and make requests to ensure that the content of the report is objective and based on facts.

Mie, Japan Times: Does the Government intend to request another visit or to send representatives from its side to meetings in order to communicate the explanations and requests?

Press Secretary Kawamura: While nothing has been decided yet about the format of engaging in dialogue and discussions with the UN side, I expect submission of requests and explanations to fundamentally occur through an UN agency concerned in Geneva.

Mie, Japan Times: To continue, how much time did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spend on explanations?

Press Secretary Kawamura: UN Special Rapporteur Kaye arrived in Tokyo on April 11 and stayed for just over a week until his departure on the evening of April 19. The Government arranged appointments with several parties. Mr. Seiji Kihara, State Minister for Foreign Affairs from MOFA, met with UN Special Rapporteur Kaye. State Minister Kihara explained that Japan has built a democracy based on freedom, fairness, and a peaceful society since the war and that unwavering efforts by the Japanese people over many years protected the freedom of expression and speech that support this society and realized an open society. UN Special Rapporteur Kaye expressed his gratitude for the meeting arrangements, reviewed opinion exchanges from the visit to Japan thus far, and explained that he had not reached any conclusions at that point due to still being in the middle of the visit and that he intended to continue active opinion exchanges with related parties until the final day. The two then broadly discussed the current situation in Japan in regard to freedom of expression.

Mie, Japan Times: Sorry to keep on this topic. Do you know how much time the Government spent on explanations to UN Special Rapporteur Kaye?

Press Secretary Kawamura: While it is difficult to measure the specific amount of time, the Government arranged meetings with related ministries and agencies, such as MOFA, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, the National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity, the National Policy Agency, the Public Security Intelligence Agency, and the Japan Coast Guard. It also arranged meetings with the Supreme Court, some National Diet members, and the Textbook Authorization and Research Council, among others. The Government arranged these many meetings with related ministries and agencies for the eight days of UN Special Rapporteur Kaye’s visit during April 12-19 (days with activities).