ニュース 2010/08/23 Sengoku holds press conference On August 23, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku held his regular press conference. He reported that Prime Minister Naoto Kan had held a telephone discussion with Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa regarding current economic and fiscal conditions, including the movement of the yen. Regarding the discussion, Sengoku said, “They agreed that it was extremely important for the government and the Bank of Japan to continue to communicate closely.” On the prospect of the Prime Minister meeting directly with Governor Shirakawa, Sengoku said, “We would like to consider this in future.” Furthermore, Sengoku said that the plan to establish an Afghanistan Assistance Bureau and Assistance Team (tentative translation) in the Cabinet Secretariat was virtually fixed, and that such a team would be set up soon. Regarding aid to Afghanistan, he revealed that “We will establish the assistance team with the purpose of creating a comprehensive government response, understanding the current situation in Afghanistan, debating an assistance strategy, determining policy direction, supporting Japanese initiatives focusing on stabilization of livelihoods, and convening an Afghanistan aid conference.