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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iwate Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture to gauge the progress of the reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
First, at Ofunato City in Iwate Prefecture, the Prime Minister visited a production line at a fishery processing plant that has recovered from the disaster, and then sampled the plant’s products.
Following that, at the Ofunato Fish Market, the Prime Minister received an explanation about the progress of reconstruction related to the fishery industry, and then observed work being done to make sherbet ice using sea water.
Following this, at Kesennuma City in Miyagi Prefecture, the Prime Minister visited a business making hand-knit items that was founded after the Great East Japan Earthquake and provides a place for women to work. He consulted with the knitters and tried on their products.
Finally, the Prime Minister visited the first public housing for disaster-stricken households in Kesennuma City to receive residents. People started to move in at the end of last month. The Prime Minister had an exchange of opinions with residents and others.
After the visit, the Prime Minister said,
“For the first time in two years, I visited Ofunato City and Kesennuma City.
I met with people from a fishery processing business who have increased their productivity and efficiency to a level higher than it was before the disaster, and visited a fish market with Japan’s most advanced hygiene management facilities.
In addition, I talked with women who have started a new knitting business, and felt the vitality of everyone working hard and playing an important role in reconstruction.
I also visited the first public housing for disaster-stricken households to open in Kesennuma City and spoke with the residents there. I was able to feel for myself how we are finally moving on to a new stage of reconstruction.
In the midst of that, I want the Government to devote efforts to creating a thorough budget that will look after people and care for their emotional well-being, as well as support them with taxes and finances.
I would like to once again instruct all members of the Abe Cabinet to maintain the mindset of being Ministers for Reconstruction and act as such.
Additionally, the United Nations (UN) World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction will be held in March. I want Japan to again communicate our wisdom and ways of thinking about disaster reduction and disaster prevention developed through the experience of earthquakes. I would also like to show the world the state of reconstruction. Furthermore, I want it to be a meeting that contributes to the reconstruction of the disaster area.”
Additionally, Prime Minister Abe also said the following about the statement on the occasion of the 70th year since World War II.
“The Abe Cabinet upholds the position on the recognition of history outlined by the previous cabinets in its entirety.
Based upon what I mentioned above, I would like to create a statement that would include factors such as the fact that we have created a free and democratic country, based upon remorse regarding World War II, and our continuous commitment to contribute to the peace, stability, and prosperity of Asia and the entire world. To this end, the Chief Cabinet Secretary will assume a central role in listening to the opinions of experts. We are currently considering the schedule by which to move forward with this.”