(Nikkei: February 9, 2016 – p. 4)

 At the Liaison Meeting of the Government and Ruling Parties held at the Prime Minister’s Office [Kantei] on Feb. 8, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, “The provision of information (regarding the North Korean missile launch) was conducted more smoothly” based on the consultative organ for integrated operation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military in peacetime, which was established under the Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation. Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi also said, “We were in close contact with not only the United States, but also South Korea.”

 During the approximately six hours of interpellations at the House of Representatives Budget Committee, the opposition parties only mentioned the North Korea issue in one comment lasting about 10 minutes by the Democratic Party of Japan’s Yuichiro Tamaki. A party executive said, “The ruling and opposition parties do not differ on the issue of the North Korean missile launch. The government’s initial response to the launch was apparently considered to be smooth, so questions were kept to a minimum.