1. Announcements

None.

2. Questions and Answers

Question:
Concerning assistance to Afghanistan, you said yesterday that you would “propose several plans for what the Ministry of Defense can do.” Have you already made such proposals? Also, there are some reports that the Ministry has started considering dispatching Self-Defense Forces (SDF) members to the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Could you please also tell us about that?

Minister:
There was an informal meeting among three ministers, including myself, on this issue on Friday last week. As far as the Ministry of Defense is concerned, I had our personnel, including the members of the Staff Offices, compile diverse options for what the SDF can do and made an explanation on such options. We have not yet selected one of the options, as reported by some media.

Question:
Is the dispatch of personnel included in the options presented?

Minister:
The possibility is not excluded. But no decision has been made at all as to whether we will implement any of these options. Therefore, I verbally explained all possibilities, including those on the borderline in terms of feasibility.

Question:
So there has been no talk about specific measures.

Minister:
No. There is nothing that can be announced now.

Question:
Concerning Futenma Air Station, we hear that Governor Nakaima of Okinawa Prefecture, whom you met the previous day, will visit the United States. Could you please tell us about the current progress on the issue of Futenma Air Station?

Minister:
Concerning Futenma Air Station, as per the Prime Minister’s answers in the Diet session, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense are each respectively making their utmost efforts to submit the best possible solution to the Prime Minister.

(For the remainder of the press conference, please refer to the Japanese version.)