Press Conferences

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense Kishida: I served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs for four years and eight months. And then for the last one week I also served as the Minister of Defense.

As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for four years and eight months I continued my efforts based on my belief in the importance of the “Three Pillars of Japan’s Foreign Policy,” (i) strengthening the Japan-U.S. Alliance, (ii) enhancing relations with neighboring countries, and (iii) promoting economic diplomacy, and advancing global issues such as disarmament and non-proliferation in combination with these three pillars.

There were a variety of issues but in that process I consistently tried to keep a sense of balance. I kept in mind the fact that in the complex and uncertain international community, we must advance a “well-balanced foreign policy” so that our citizens will feel that the foreign policy of Japan is secure and stable, and we must place importance on this kind of sense of balance in regions and for issues in our “diplomacy that takes a panoramic perspective of the world map.”

Then for the brief period of one week I have served as the Minister of Defense. I handled the special circumstances of the resignation of a Minister of Defense and the emergency situation of the missile launch by North Korea and I worked as hard as I could to ensure there were no gaps or defects. However, it was a week in which I was once again made to feel the importance of the security of Japan, because when I saw the Japan Ministry of Defense and Japan Self-Defense Forces working during that period I was strongly reminded once again of the fact that they are making efforts every day to protect the lives and livelihood of the Japanese people and are tackling their demanding duties without relaxing their vigilance for even a moment.

I would like to ask the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and the new Minister of Defense to endeavor to build an environment in which the lives and livelihood of the Japanese people can be protected, and Japan can play a large role in the world.

Thank you very much. I appreciate your support.

Reporter: Can you say a word about what you expect from the newly-appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and the newly-appointed Minister of Defense?

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense Kishida: Finally, I would like to ask them to please work hard, with a good understanding of all the previous points I mentioned. Thank you in advance.