Press Conference by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae regarding Her Visit to Fukushima Prefecture

(Reporter)
I am Yoshino with TV Asahi, representing the Cabinet Press Club. Prime Minister, I would like to ask what thoughts you had during your first visit to Fukushima after taking office as you observed the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and Difficult-to-Return Zones. Although the policy calls for the removed soil to be disposed of outside Fukushima Prefecture by 2045, its reuse has thus far remained limited. How does the government intend to address this issue going forward? 

(Prime Minister Takaichi)
Today, I visited several key sites in Fukushima Prefecture that are crucial for its future reconstruction and revitalization. I also met with and exchanged views with local leaders, including Governor Uchibori of Fukushima Prefecture, Mayor Yoshida of Okuma Town, and Mayor Izawa of Futaba Town. Minister for Reconstruction Makino accompanied me.

First, at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, I witnessed firsthand the safe and steady progress of the decommissioning and the discharge of ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System)-treated water into the ocean. This decommissioning work is unprecedented globally and involves a high degree of technical difficulty. As we move into the most difficult phases that lie at the very core of the decommissioning process, it is essential that the work continue step by step, with the utmost priority placed on ensuring safety. At the same time, efforts must be advanced to promote coexistence with the local community throughout what will be a long-term undertaking.

Based on this recognition, I asked TEPCO Chairman Kobayashi and President Kobayakawa to demonstrate management leadership and tackle this challenge with a strong sense of urgency. Regarding the Difficult-to-Return Zones in Futaba Town, I confirmed that there still remain areas where residents are unable to return. Over the course of the 2020s, we will strive to promote decontamination and infrastructure development to help lift the evacuation orders, so that all residents who wish to return can do so, using the system of Specified Living Areas for Returnees. Furthermore, we are determined to take responsibility for reconstruction and revitalization by eventually lifting the evacuation orders for all areas within the Difficult-to-Return Zones.

Regarding the Interim Storage Facility, I confirmed the status of the removed soil and the efforts for the demonstration project for recycling the removed soil for use in road embankments. I once again express my sincere gratitude to Okuma Town, Futaba Town, and Fukushima Prefecture for making the extremely difficult decision to host this Interim Storage Facility. The policy for final disposal of the removed soil generated within Fukushima Prefecture outside the prefecture within 30 years from the start of interim storage—that is, by March 2045—is a commitment made by the Government. As this is also stipulated by law, I consider it a national responsibility.

To achieve this final disposal outside the prefecture, it is crucial to reduce the volume of the final disposal through the use of reconstruction and recycled soil. I received various explanations today and also observed the demonstration project, and I believe it is important to deepen public understanding, particularly regarding the fact that this reconstruction and recycled soil is something that can be handled safely and is nothing to be worried about. We therefore intend to promote its use in  as many locations as possible. Of course, I will join forces with Minister Makino to actively engage with relevant parties..

Furthermore, regarding this soil, based on the roadmap for the next five years or so (“Roadmap on Promotion of Managed Recycling for Realization of Final Disposal of Removed Soil and Waste outside Fukushima Prefecture”), which was formulated this August, we have been promoting the use of the reconstruction and recycled soil at nine locations since July, including in the flowerbeds at the Prime Minister’s Office and central government ministries and agencies in the Kasumigaseki district.

The roadmap presents a concrete path with a high degree of certainty through around 2030. Beyond that period, it indicates that around 2030, we will specify the process for implementing final disposal outside the prefecture and for selecting candidate sites, and will begin surveys for selecting those candidate sites.

However, now that I have visited Fukushima today, the Takaichi Cabinet will not only continue to advance the initiatives outlined in the roadmap with full responsibility, but will also progressively set out the path for the period beyond 2030. I hereby make this new commitment. Through this visit, I was reminded once again that the reconstruction of Fukushima is a long journey, and that we must never allow this disaster to fade from memory. With the resolve that every minister in my Cabinet acts with the determination of a Minister for Reconstruction, we will further accelerate our reconstruction efforts. The reconstruction of Fukushima is a critical priority for my Cabinet, and we are firmly committed to seeing this responsibility through to the very end. This concludes my remarks.