SNA (Tokyo) — The following stories were reported today by the Shingetsu News Agency.

The Top Headline

—South Korean President Moon Jae-In: “The Comfort Women issue should be resolved based on the principle of truth and justice. I think the victims will forgive and this issue can be completely resolved when Japan accepts the truth, makes a heartfelt apology to the victims, learns lessons, and cooperates with the international community in preventing recurrence of such a thing… I don’t think that this is a matter that can be resolved in a give-and-take manner between governments with the victims excluded in the process.”

Politics

—Democratic Party finally agrees to accept Renho’s resignation, ending the odd couple of weeks in which she was officially a member of two national political parties. Renho is now solely within the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

International

—North Korea says the Panmunjom talks are not about denuclearization: “All our weapons, including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and ballistic missiles, are only aimed at the United States, not our brethren, nor China and Russia. This is not a matter between North and South Korea.”

—South Korean President Moon Jae-In: “Because the North Korean nuclear issue has not been resolved, South Korea will continue to keep pace with the pressure and sanctions by the international community. We have no plans to ease our unilateral sanctions against North Korea.”

—Okinawa Vice-Governor Moritake Tomikawa: “In the past year, US military aircraft have been involved in about thirty crashes, fires, or emergency landings, and this fact is making the residents of Okinawa worry more than ever before.”

—In Hawaii, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera meets with US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris and conveys Okinawa’s concerns about the frequent US military accidents. He requests some policies be changed to help ensure public safety.

—In this morning’s press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga again takes a hard line on South Korea, says that Japan is prepared to do absolutely nothing more on Comfort Women issue and that Seoul’s responsibility is just to follow the 2015 pact and drop the issue.

—Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga: “It is the rule of international society that a domestic change of government cannot affect the execution of international agreements.”

—The vaunted Aegis Ashore system which will cost billions and is intended to protect Japan from North Korean missiles will not actually be in place until at least 2023.

Economy

—Abe government now sending its central government officials to pressure Niigata Governor Ryuichi Yoneyama to allow TEPCO to restart nuclear reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. They argue that the operator of Fukushima Daiichi is now a trustworthy nuclear power company.

—“Basic Bill on Zero Nuclear Natural Energy” published by anti-nuclear group including former prime ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Morihiro Hosokawa. They plan to talk with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which is unveiling similar legislation.

—Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan confirms its intention to submit to the Diet its legislation to make Japan non-nuclear. The submission is expected to occur in early March.

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