Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary

JAPANESE

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO Good morning. Sorry to have kept you waiting.

First, a Cabinet meeting took place today. To summarize what took place at the meeting, two general matters for discussion were covered, along with the proclamation of a new law, issuance of Cabinet Orders, and personnel decisions.

The next item to report is the establishment today of a liaison council of central government organs to assist the lives of disaster victims. This liaison council has been set up to smoothly and promptly facilitate the activities of the Subsidiary Headquarters for Special Measures to Assist the Lives of Disaster Victims. It will ensure close cooperation among all parts of the government as it carries out the sharing of necessary information and confirmation of issues to be addressed, as well as follow-up and other activities. Minister of State for Disaster Management Ryu Matsumoto chairs the liaison council, which also includes three vice-chairs: Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshihiro Katayama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, and Cabinet Office Senior Vice-Minister Tatsuo Hirano, who also serves as secretary-general of the Headquarters. Meetings of the liaison council are attended by administrative vice-ministers of each central government organ and the heads of extra-ministerial bureaus involved in the ongoing disaster relief measures. Beginning today and going forward over the mid- to long term, this liaison council will meet each day at noon. For detailed information, please contact the secretariat of the Cabinet Office’s Headquarters for Special Measures to Assist the Lives of Disaster Victims.

That is all I have for you now.