1. Announcements

None.

2. Questions and Answers

Question:
Is the assistance program for Afghanistan finalized today? Could you please explain about it?

Minister:
The Chief Cabinet Secretary will probably make an announcement on this matter at a press conference. The decision was to provide 5 billion dollars of assistance over the next 5 years, which includes the 80 billion yen assistance to be provided immediately. The assistance covers various fields including assistance for police officers, which Japan has already been providing, as well as assistance for administration, agriculture and medical care. The details will probably be explained by the Chief Cabinet Secretary.

Question:
Will assistance also be provided to the Afghan National Army (ANA)?

Minister:
The assistance will be directed to the Afghan government. For the list of assistance measures, please ask the Chief Cabinet Secretary.

Question:
Is it correct that the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is not included in the assistance program?

Minister:
Yes.

Question:
Also, was there any talk during the meeting on the assistance to Afghanistan about how to handle in the future the refueling activities currently implemented?

Minister:
There was no talk about that today.

Question:
Concerning the issue of relocating Futenma Air Station, Prime Minister Hatoyama said yesterday in the doorstepping interview and other occasions that he would not make it an issue at the summit meeting. Was this point confirmed in the Cabinet, at such occasions as yesterday’s lunchtime meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office?

Minister:
There was no confirmation at yesterday’s meeting. It did not particularly go into the details of individual issues.

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