Cabinet Briefing, Prime Minister Takaichi’s U.S. Visit, and Water Plum Alert
Overview
The Cabinet decided on the appointments of senior vice-ministers and parliamentary vice-ministers and announced the schedules for related certification ceremonies and meetings. If circumstances permit, Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to visit New York, United States, from September 21 to 24 and deliver a general debate speech at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly; final arrangements are being made for a Japan-U.S. summit meeting with President Trump and other engagements. In addition, the National Police Agency and the National Cyber Directorate, together with relevant agencies from the United States, Australia, and Germany, released a document on the North Korea-linked cyberattack group Water Plum and issued an alert.
Key points
- The appointments of senior vice-ministers and parliamentary vice-ministers were decided.
- If circumstances permit, arrangements are being made for Prime Minister Takaichi to attend the United Nations General Assembly and hold a Japan-U.S. summit meeting.
- Information on the methods used in cyberattacks involving Water Plum was released, and an alert was issued.
Overview
The briefing covered the Cabinet decision, personnel-related schedules, Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit to the United States, her statement at the United Nations General Assembly, arrangements for bilateral meetings, and an alert concerning cyberattacks. Attendance at the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled for a year marking the 70th anniversary of Japan’s membership in the United Nations.
Impact
The government explained that malicious cyber activity poses security and economic threats not only to Japan but also to the world. IT engineers and private businesses were asked to take appropriate security measures with reference to the alert.
Details
The certification ceremony for senior vice-ministers is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., the first senior vice-ministers’ meeting for 8:00 p.m., the issuance of appointment documents for parliamentary vice-ministers for 9:10 p.m., and the first parliamentary vice-ministers’ meeting from 9:30 p.m. The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications spoke about the Consumer Price Index, while Prime Minister Takaichi spoke about concurrent posts held by senior vice-ministers and others.
If circumstances permit, Prime Minister Takaichi will deliver a general debate speech in New York, expressing Japan’s commitment to multilateralism, its positions and contributions on international issues, and its efforts and future policies regarding global challenges and United Nations reform. Final arrangements are being made for a Japan-U.S. summit meeting with President Trump, while summit meetings with leaders of other countries are also being coordinated.
The National Police Agency and the National Cyber Directorate, together with relevant agencies from the United States, Australia, and Germany, released a document on Water Plum’s attack methods, foreign-currency earning activities by North Korean IT workers, and the actual circumstances of recruitment application activities.