INTERVIEW: Kihara Vows Bold Revision of Security Documents

Tokyo, Nov. 1 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s new Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara has vowed to boldly revise the country’s three key national security-related documents. The three documents will be updated with “bold and new” ideas, the top government spokesman said in an interview Friday, emphasizing the need for the country to strengthen not only its defense capabilities but also comprehensive national power, including technological and intelligence capabilities. The administration of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, inaugurated Oct. 21, aims to revise the documents next year. The documents–the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Build Up Program–were adopted in late 2022 under the administration of then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Regarding the free and open Indo-Pacific initiative that Japan has been promoting, Kihara said that “we plan to develop it in the most suitable way” in light of new issues such as economic security and international competition over emerging technologies. On whether Japan will introduce nuclear submarines, Kihara said, “We will consider necessary measures to improve our nation’s deterrence and response capabilities without excluding any possibilities. ” “At this point, no decision has been made over the next-generation power source (for submarines), including technologies such as all-solid-state batteries and fuel cells now being developed by the private sector,” he added. On the Cabinet Secretariat’s secret funds, Kihara said that the money is managed “strictly and effectively” based on the chief cabinet secretary’s judgments and responsibility. Kihara said he has had some contact with the Unification Church, a controversial religious group formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, citing one case of sending a congratulatory message, three cases of attending meetings, one case of paying fees to an affiliated organization and one case of receiving donations from a related body. He added that he has lent his name as a member of the executive committee of an event held by a related organization. Kihara said that he has already severed relations with these groups. Asked whether he will visit war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo as chief cabinet secretary, Kihara said, “This is a private matter, so I will make an appropriate decision as an individual.” Neighboring countries, such as China and South Korea, regard the Shinto shrine as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism as it honors Class-A war criminals along with the war dead. As to his relationship with Takaichi, Kihara said that he was one of her supporters when she ran in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election in 2021, which was won by Kishida. When Kishida was LDP president and prime minister, Takaichi served as chair of the party’s Policy Research Council, and Kihara worked as her deputy at the council and was in charge of tasks such as drawing up economic measures and examining government-sponsored bills, according to Kihara. He said his relationship with Takaichi now is similar to how it was at the time. “I will do my best to support (Takaichi) while living up to her expectations,” Kihara said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]