Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the joint meeting of the seventh meeting of the Reconstruction Promotion Council and the 29th meeting of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister's Office.

Discussion took place on the acceleration of the reconstruction of Fukushima, and of the rebuilding of residences and the reconstruction of communities.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

"Next week will mark the second anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which caused unprecedented damage to our country.
Together with you, I express my deepest condolences, thinking of the regrets of many people who lost their lives in this disaster and the profound grief of the bereaved relatives.
The government is determined to proceed with the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas at the earliest possible date, also in order to repay the departed souls of the victims.
What is most strongly required now, after two years, are the rebuilding of residences, and in Fukushima, to show the way towards the return of residents.
We have decided the countermeasures on these issues in today's meeting.
The ruling parties also compiled realistic and specific proposals on a wide variety of items, including problems that impede reconstruction. The countermeasures discussed today were formulated by the Reconstruction Agency, under the leadership of Minister Nemoto, by fully take these proposals into consideration.
We must achieve results, rather than giving hundreds of words. We must accelerate the reconstruction, which proceeded with excessive slowness under the previous administration, and have the people in the stricken areas expect the coming of next winter, which will be the third year after the disaster, with hope.
As for the rebuilding of residences, roadmaps on the rebuilding of residences and the reconstruction of communities were compiled, in order to clearly present the forecast for people returning to their homelands from temporary housing.
With regard to the reconstruction of Fukushima, we have newly decided the revision of zones in three municipalities, while also compiling the Plan for Early Return and Settlement. With these, we present specific measures for the return and settlement of evacuees, and accelerate efforts towards the decommissioning of reactors.
It is two months now since the Abe administration was inaugurated, but already specific goals are set and specific measures have been compiled, with your cooperation under the leadership of Minister Nemoto. In this way, we are determined to achieve secure results through true political leadership, wherein the government and bureaucrats unite their efforts together, and to unite our efforts together in taking every measure to have the people in the stricken areas return to their ordinary life. I would like to ask for your cooperation."