Koike: I want to help deepen the ties between the prime minister’s office and other countries–create new channels of diplomacy with [other] national-security advisers. By doing so I hope to enhance Japan’s [international] presence.
World affairs are becoming more complicated and changing more rapidly, so it’s no longer [adequate] for an individual ministry alone to deal with them. Thus, we are trying to create a system where vital information is gathered in the prime minister’s office so he can respond swiftly [to various situations] based on the national interest. We will study various cases in other countries in search of a model that would best suit our parliamentary system. Whether it will look like a White House or a 10 Downing Street, we still don’t know.
The international community must cooperate closely to show that North Korea cannot play the nuclear card. We need to persistently pursue a diplomatic effort. Japan has been discussing [ways] to implement U.N. Resolution 1718 effectively. But we should not rush.
There is absolutely no need to start a debate. To do so would run counter to our years of effort to prevent nuclear proliferation. We are under a huge nuclear umbrella based on the U.S.-Japan alliance. We won’t change our nonnuclear policies.
No, that’s impossible. The U.S. system has a long history, and its [NSC] has been staffed by impressive figures from academia. I’d like to serve as a national-security adviser with a broad perspective. We have a lot to learn from the U.S. system.
