1. Announcements

None.

2. Questions and Answers

Question:
Concerning the issue of relocating Futenma Air Station, US State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said that the United States (US) will set “no deadline regarding the Okinawa Base Agreement.” Could you please tell us your thoughts on the timing of the decision?

Minister:
I only have knowledge of this statement through news reports, so I’m not clear on the details. We should not spend too much time, but I think Spokesman Kelly’s statement suggests that Japan and the US are on the way to having a common recognition on this issue to a certain extent, thanks to frequent bilateral talks.

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