1. Announcements

None.

2. Questions and Answers

Question:
My question concerns Secretary General Ozawa of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Mr. Ozawa suggested yesterday that he would resign if he was held criminally responsible. Do you think Mr. Ozawa should resign from the post of Secretary General if he is indicted?

Minister:
I cannot comment on this since he is not even indicted yet. Since it pertains to Mr. Ozawa's private matters, I would refrain from making comments based on presumption.

Question:
Concerning Mr. Ishikawa, a member of the House of Representatives, it is expected that opposition parties will submit a resolution calling for his resignation if he was indicted. How do you think the Government should respond to this?

Minister:
That is also all based on presumption. Please ask these questions when such things are decided by the prosecution.

Question:
Do you mean you haven't decided your stance yet right now?

Minister:
I cannot tell how the matter will turn out. Who told you that they will be indicted?

Question:
There is a possibility.

Minister:
Everything is possible in this world, and there is also a possibility that what you said was not the case. It is extremely inappropriate to question about the Cabinet or Minister's comments based on assumptions.

Question:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Okada yesterday said in his speech that it will be possible to continue using Futenma Air Station if no relocation sites are found. What do you think about this?

Minister:
We are currently looking for relocation sites at the Review Committee. Who said that there was no relocation site?

Question:
He was saying, "if there is no" alternative site.

Minister:
We are looking for an alternative site, because the Prime Minister has been saying that he will hammer out a plan that both the US and the local people of Okinawa can agree on by the end of May. I have no intention at all to envisage something else.

Question:
A Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary is also saying that in the current situation continued use of Futenma Air Station is not excluded from the consideration, given that the review is conducted on a zero basis.

Minister:
There may be a lack of understanding about the content of the review.

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