[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru regarding the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 80th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa and Other Matters

(On the thoughts of Prime Minister Ishiba regarding his visit to the Himeyuri Memorial Tower and other spots after attending the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen earlier today; whether he has plans to announce a "statement" or the Prime Minister's personal "view" regarding the war as this year marks the 80th anniversary of its end and, if he does, whether he plans to refer to the historical perception and the future vision of the Self-Defense Forces; and how he plans to mitigate the impact of U.S. forces on Okinawa, including the review of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), based on the remarks he made on this issue for a long time)

I attended the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 80th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa. I found the ceremony itself extremely solemn. Afterward, I visited the Himeyuri Memorial Tower, or the Himeyuri Peace Museum, which I last visited 22 years ago as Director-General of the Defense Agency with a very solemn and profound feeling. It's been my strong desire to visit this spot as Prime Minister this time, specifically on the occasion of attending this year's memorial ceremony. This is because I felt the necessity to engrave that profound emotion I had more than two decades ago once again into my heart. Young female students lost their lives. They all wanted to live. They all hated war, yet they diligently cared for the wounded and bravely fulfilled their given duties in harsh conditions. Ultimately, many of the students were injured and lost their lives. This is something one cannot truly grasp without visiting this spot in person. When I was involved in creating the National Protection Legislation, the Battle of Okinawa was very much on my mind as well. As I carry out my duties as Prime Minister, I came here today with the strong desire to engrave once more into my heart this commitment against war and the tragedy of the war. Seeing this place today has further strengthened that resolve.

Regarding a "statement" or "remarks" for the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, nothing has been decided at this point. However, the historical perception that successive Cabinets have announced will not change in any way. I intend to carefully consider the format and nature of it going forward. In doing so, we must never forget that 70% of the dedicated U.S. military facilities and areas are concentrated in Okinawa, placing a heavy impact on the people of Okinawa Prefecture. Seeking ways to alleviate this impact involves the relocation of Marine Corps units, the transfer of their training sites, and a sincere commitment, in cooperation with the United States, to eradicating unacceptable accidents and incidents, as well as the return of land. These efforts are aimed at truly reducing the impact inflicted on the people of Okinawa. I believe that Japan as a whole must confront this issue straightforwardly with that shared resolve. Regarding the SOFA, when I was Director-General of the Defense Agency, a helicopter crashed onto the campus of Okinawa International University. Even before that incident, I had been considering the nature of the SOFA. Since the agreement is integral to the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, discussing it separately wouldn't cover the full picture of the issue. The Liberal Democratic Party as a whole must address this issue. It's not just a concern for the LDP, but we must also gather opinions from many people, as it is not solely an Okinawa issue. We intend to advance discussions across the entire party, and indeed across all political circles, while conducting various comparative studies with examples from other countries regarding the legal status of foreign military forces in Japan. In any case, the revision of the SOFA is part of our overall efforts to reduce the impact on Okinawa, and we genuinely believe this is a matter we must seriously tackle. That's all.

(On the recognition of Prime Minister Ishiba of the view that Okinawa was made a "stepping stone" in the Battle of Okinawa for the defense of mainland Japan, as well as of the lesson that "the military does not protect civilians," as the debate continues on the historical perception of the Battle of Okinawa, particularly since LDP House of Councillors member NISHIDA Shoji's remarks in May concerning the Himeyuri Memorial Tower)

As I mentioned earlier, a key principle of the Civil Protection Legislation, as part of the so-called Emergency Legislation, is that civilians must never be present on the battlefield. While the more fundamental principle is, of course, that war itself should never happen, civilians must absolutely not be left in a combat zone, even if such a conflict were to take place. We must carry this crucial lesson forward into the future. This includes the construction of shelters and ensuring people can evacuate safely and swiftly, as well as determining who will be in charge of such missions. The tragic scenario of civilians being left on a battlefield, or non-combatants being subjected to such an ordeal, must never occur. This is separate from the principle that war itself should never happen. Both the legal framework and its implementation must be based on these principles. We will continue to examine what needs to be done without cease.

(On the accuracy of the reports that Prime Minister Ishiba will forgo attending the upcoming NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit, for which he was scheduled to depart tomorrow.)

We are currently discussing this matter. At the recent G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, we had the opportunity to directly exchange views and engage in discussions not only with the G7 countries but also with many other countries. Regarding the upcoming meeting in The Hague, our main focus is on a session involving the IP4, which refers to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Therefore, we intend to carefully consider the attendance status of these participating countries, among other factors, before reaching a conclusion.

(On whether Prime Minister Ishiba's visit to the Himeyuri Memorial Tower was planned in response to Mr. Nishida's recent remarks, or it was prompted by his thoughts from his time as Defense Agency Director-General)

I have had the opportunity to visit Okinawa many times, but it has been a while since I last visited the Himeyuri Memorial Tower. I have always wanted to come back if an opportunity arose. My aim in coming here today was to revive that solemn sentiment I had during my first visit, as I have mentioned repeatedly, and to renew my pledge against war and commitment to protecting civilians and the public. Although I have constantly wished to visit this site, my trips to Okinawa had always been for giving lectures, supporting candidates during elections, or conducting site inspections. Thus, I have not had the opportunity until today, and my visit is truly based on a strong desire to return once again.

(On his reaction as the President of the LDP to the results of yesterday's Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election that ended up with the party gaining its lowest-ever number of seats and how he views the nature of responsibility)

I believe we have received a very harsh judgment from the voters. However, even in the midst of such adversity, I must express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who tirelessly supported us, to the candidates who fought so hard, and to those who cast their votes for them. We need some more time to conduct an analysis of the election results, but it is essential that we thoroughly examine why our appeals did not resonate with many voters and then apply those lessons to future elections.