Remarks at the press conference on the 4th... "No specific schedule set"
Comments related to COVID-19 and domestic politics
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reiterated on the 4th that he intends to visit the United States and hold a summit with President-elect Joe Biden as soon as possible after Biden takes office in January next year. Regarding the resurgence of COVID-19 in Japan, he said that they are responding with a sense of crisis.
According to NHK and other broadcasts, Prime Minister Suga said at a press conference held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence that day regarding the timing of his visit to the U.S., "We agreed (with President-elect Biden) to meet as soon as possible while monitoring the COVID-19 situation," adding, "Nothing has been decided concretely yet, but I want to coordinate at an appropriate time in the future." He added, "I want to cooperate more closely with President-elect Biden to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and realize a free and open Indo-Pacific."
Regarding the recent rapid resurgence of COVID-19 in Japan, Suga said, "The situation requires extreme caution and has continued, and since last week, hospital beds for severe patients have started to become insufficient, so we are responding with a strong sense of crisis," and urged, "I once again ask the public to thoroughly follow the basic infection prevention measures."
On the timing of COVID-19 vaccinations, which countries are competing to secure, Suga said, "The top priority is safety and efficacy," and added, "The government will refrain from clearly stating the timing at this point." He also stated that vaccinations will be administered in a predetermined order, prioritizing medical personnel, and that he himself will be vaccinated when his turn comes.
At the press conference, Suga also expressed his position on domestic political matters. Regarding the dissolution of the House of Representatives and the timing of the general election, he said, "The top priority is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and revive the economy, and I want to devote all efforts to this," but also mentioned, "My term as a member of the House of Representatives lasts until next autumn, so an election will need to be held at some point. I want to carefully consider this while taking into account the time constraints."
When asked whether the defense budget, which was increased for eight consecutive years during former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, would be increased again next year, he replied, "It is currently under review within the government," without giving a definitive answer, and responded, "Based on the increasingly severe security environment, I want to steadily promote the necessary defense capability maintenance to protect the lives of the people and their peaceful lives."
There were also questions about the refusal to appoint members to the Science Council of Japan and suspicions surrounding the "Cherry Blossom Viewing Party" that occurred during former Prime Minister Abe’s tenure, but Suga repeated previous answers or gave responses unrelated to the questions. There was no mention of Japan-South Korea relations at this press conference.
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