ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI SANAE AT THE MEETING OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND SELF-DEFENSE FORCE COMMAND PERSONNEL

TOKYO, Sept. 2 -- Prime Minister and His Cabinet issued the following information:

[Provisional Translation]

(Prime Minister Takaichi)

To all Self-Defense Force Senior Personnel who assume the responsibility for the core of Japan's national defense: as we gather here today, I would like to speak to you about what the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) must do to resolutely defend to the end the lives and the peaceful livelihoods of the Japanese people and to ensure that the SDF will continue to live up to the trust and expectations of the people.In the wake of earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in July, the SDF has been doing its utmost from the very moment the disaster struck. This includes information gathering via aircraft; rescue oper...