[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida Regarding His Visit to the United States and Other Matters

(On what message he will deliver at the United Nations General Assembly, in light of the outcome of Japan’s G7 chair and the G7 Hiroshima Summit; and whether he plans to hold a separate meeting with President Zelenskyy)

As you have mentioned, I am today leaving for New York to participate in the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week. I will make a general debate speech and attend a SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Summit, a High-level Commemorative Event on the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT), a Security Council Summit on the situation in Ukraine, and a multilateral conference on health, among others. As you have pointed out, in attending such meetings, I should further develop the outcome of the G7 Hiroshima Summit to connect it to further discussions. At a time when the international community faces multiple crises, we need to break with confrontation and division to create an international community where we can work together. Against this backdrop, Japan has so far advocated ideas such as human security and people-centered international cooperation. I would like to make efforts to disseminate to the international community such uniquely Japanese ideas in a fresh manner. At the same time, I believe it is important to call for effective multilateralism, along with reforming the United Nations by strengthening its functions, including the Security Council reform.

As for your question of whether I plan to have a meeting with President Zelenskyy, I do not assume a separate meeting with him. However, I will be with him at some of the meetings I will attend and quite naturally, I may have an opportunity to have a standing conversation with him. This is something that we assume now. In the meantime, we have already arranged some bilateral meetings, including Summit Meetings with President Raisi of Iran and President Khurelsukh of Mongolia. I expect to have other meetings depending on the circumstances, including standing conversations and informal talks.

Another event that I plan to attend is a session where I will deliver a speech regarding the present state of Japan’s economy and upcoming economic and financial initiatives in front of those in the economic and financial circles in the United States. This is also an opportunity for me to disseminate Japan’s positions and Japan itself. Through such opportunities, I hope to steadily disseminate Japan’s positions and ideas. And as you have mentioned, I would like to make efforts to connect the outcome of the G7 Hiroshima Summit to further discussions.

(On his reaction to various opinion polls conducted following the latest Cabinet reshuffle that have shown approval ratings for his Cabinet largely remained flat)

I decided on the appointments of Cabinet ministers based on the principle of putting the right person in the right place to deal with issues that cannot be postponed. I understand that there are various results of opinion polls and my basic position is not to alternate between joy and sorrow whether they are positive or negative. I believe that the important thing is to live up to the expectations of the people by tackling issues that cannot be postponed and delivering results. That’s all from me.