Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Mr. Yuhei Sato, Governor of Fukushima Prefecture; Mr. Toshitsuna Watanabe, Mayor of Okuma Town; and Mr. Shiro Izawa, Mayor of Futaba Town at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Prime Minister said in his address,
“First, I would like to express my gratitude to Governor Sato, Mayor Watanabe, and Mayor Izawa for visiting despite their very busy schedules.
The construction of interim storage facilities is a matter of great importance for the reconstruction of Fukushima and the reconstruction of Japan. On the other hand, for the people of Okuma Town, Futaba Town, and other communities, this will mean taking on a great burden. In light of that, Governor Yuhei Sato made the very difficult decision to approve the construction of interim storage facilities. I fully understand that, just as the Governor has stated, this was truly a very difficult decision. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to him for making that decision.
The mission of the Abe Cabinet is that “there is no reconstruction of Japan without the reconstruction of Fukushima.” All Cabinet members are engaging in their work with the mindset that they are all Ministers for Reconstruction. Based on that line of thinking, I would like all of us to come together as one with everyone in Fukushima Prefecture, the local communities and regions, as well as the people of Okuma Town and Futaba Town, to exert every effort for the reconstruction of Fukushima.”