(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
Today I attended an event commemorating the 71st anniversary of the founding of the GSDF High Technical School and gave an address. As a native of Yokosuka, I have attended this event many times in the past, even before becoming a minister. Given this context, and particularly in the context that recently the JSDF has been assigned the new mission of active cyber defense starting from October 1, I was very pleased to be able to deliver an address to the students at the GSDF High Technical School, which also offers a specialized cyber course now, emphasizing the heavy and critical mission they bear to forge a new path forward. In particular, all of the personnel from Camp Takeyama’s 31st Infantry Regiment and 117th Training Battalion and Camp Zama’s 4th Engineer Group who tackled their mission on the ground in the recent disaster, Typhoon No. 25, also attended this event. It was wonderful to have this opportunity for the local community to come together to see these personnel who carried out this mission, offer them encouragement, and gain more knowledge of these activities by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). Earlier, I also exchanged views with and encouraged the personnel who served on the ground. Many of them said things such as “in our search activities, we were driven by the single-minded desire to find the missing persons as quickly as possible and bring peace of mind to their families,” “although we didn’t know when the disaster relief mission would end, we were able to carry it out because of our mission to save lives,” and “seeing the tears of those affected motivated me to step up and do what had to be done.” I was struck by their fierce determination—their absolute resolve to find and rescue the missing persons. Seeing these personnel quietly and steadfastly facing their mission in such a challenging environment made me feel incredibly reassured and proud. At the same time, I could also strongly sense their deep frustration and regret over not being able to save the lives of some missing persons. In this disaster relief mission, the situation on the ground became very challenging. Heavy rains fell continuously before the typhoon came, and the heavy rains continued even after the typhoon had passed. Even in these circumstances, the Camp Takeyama units demonstrated the results of their routine exercises by promptly deploying to the affected areas and carrying out their missions, proving the importance of those exercises. I intend to share the good experiences obtained through these activities with our units nationwide. Furthermore, in these activities, the JSDF combined forces with the relevant local agencies, such as fire and police services, and with the local construction industry, to engage in searches to find the missing persons as quickly as possible. I received reports on the situation on the ground around the clock. Each time I received a report, I pictured the personnel quietly and steadfastly facing their mission on the ground, driven by the desire to find the missing persons as quickly as possible. The work of members of the JSDF is not about seeking the spotlight or receiving praise from anyone. It is about doing everything within one’s power for those in need of help. I believe I was shown precisely that kind of dedication by the members of the JSDF on the ground on this occasion. I am proud of each and every one of our personnel who faced their mission to the end in challenging conditions. Moreover, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of the families who support those personnel. There were areas affected by the disaster in Chiba Prefecture as well, but the day before yesterday we received a request from the Governor of Chiba Prefecture to withdraw the disaster relief mission, so the activities of the JSDF have ended there. After this, I plan to inspect the activities of the JSDF on the ground in Chiba Prefecture from the air, and then travel to Camp Narashino to directly meet with and encourage the personnel who engaged in missions in Chiba Prefecture, including the search for missing persons, rescue activities by boat in flooded regions, and the removal of fallen trees for the early restoration of power. Thank you for all your hard work today.
Finally, I would like to make one more comment. In the early hours of October 3, the body of a woman was discovered at a hotel in Naha City and today a United States (U.S.) Marine Corps lance corporal was arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. An incident of this nature is heinous and inexcusable and I feel profound indignation. In response to this case, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side and have sternly demanded thorough education and the strict enforcement of discipline among its service members, rigorous measures to prevent incidents and accidents, and a prompt and appropriate response to the victim’s family. Any incidents and accidents involving U.S. service members cause great anxiety among the local residents and must not occur. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) intends to continue urging the U.S. side at every opportunity to ensure thorough measures are taken to prevent such incidents and accidents. Going forward, we will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to this matter. This concludes my announcements.