1. Announcements

None.

2. Questions and Answers

Question:
The minister-level working group on a replacement facility for Futenma Air Station will meet today. What will be discussed at the meeting, and how will the discussion be conducted thereafter? Could you please also tell us your view on Prime Minister Hatoyama's remark that relocation of Futenma Air Station "will not be bound by the 2006 bilateral agreement"?

Minister:
We are having the first meeting today. I think it will start by each side expressing its opinions frankly without giving preconditions. I find nothing particularly strange about the Prime Minister's comment, since he must be considering the issue in an extremely broad framework.

Question:
Though you have just mentioned that opinions will be expressed "frankly," could you tell us, in detail, how discussions will be conducted at the working group meeting today?

Minister:
Since we have been reviewing the agreement signed by the previous administration, I think we will be discussing questions that arose during that review process, such as why other options are problematic and why such options were not included in the agreement, in a detailed manner.

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