Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I do not have anything to announce today, so let us start with your questions.

REPORTER: I am Hiramoto from NTV. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said radiation levels assessed in Iitate Village exceeded the IAEA criteria for evacuation, and that it advised the Japanese Government to consider issuing an evacuation order. What are your thoughts on the IAEA's recommendation and how does the Government intend to respond?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The IAEA has informed us that it had detected radiation in soil exceeding one of the IAEA criteria, and advised us to carefully assess the situation on the basis of this report.

We have been continuously monitoring radiation levels in the air, including those of the aforementioned surrounding areas, and we will be heightening our monitoring efforts bearing in mind the results of IAEA's monitoring of soil.

Now, regarding the report that the radiation level in the soil exceeded the criteria, I understand that if a person remains in such an area with contaminated soil over a long period, the accumulation may pose a health risk. We are continuously monitoring the radiation levels in the air in the nearby areas. The way I understand it is that this is not something of a nature which would pose an immediate health risk. We have to carefully assess and respond in the case that this situation continues and lasts for a long period.

REPORTER: Does this mean that at this point in time you have no intention of expanding the evacuation zone, including issuing an evacuation advisory?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I do not think that this is something of a nature which immediately requires such action. The fact that the level of radiation in the soil is high inevitably points to the possibility of long-term accumulation affecting human health. Therefore, we will continue to carefully monitor the level of radiation with heightened vigilance, and we intend to take action if necessary.

REPORTER: I am Sato from the Asahi Shimbun. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced that it will be assessing the soil of the nearby areas. Meanwhile, what are your thoughts right now on the impact assessment of seawater contamination?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: High levels of radiation have been detected at the discharge point. Even if the radiation may be assumed to have dispersed and diluted in the ocean, we have to avert all possible effects. Therefore, we will be reinforcing our monitoring and work to cover a larger area. Instructions about this have already been given.

REPORTER: I am Kuribayashi from the Yomiuri Shimbun. Earlier, you noted that the radiation contamination in the soil may affect human health if a person continuously lives in the area. Since there are people living there, does this mean that through some sort of decontamination measure actions affecting the area over the long-term may be taken in the future?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: If the radiation level persists for a long period to the point that it would affect human health, or if this seems at all likely, I believe we would have to consider an evacuation or other measures. Right now, we are taking all possible measures, including monitoring the radiation levels in the air, to ensure that there is no delay if such measures become necessary.

REPORTER: I am Kobayashi from TV Asahi. Iitate Village is 40km away from the plant. If it is possible that the soil is contaminated so far away, how many places might there be where the soil is contaminated and there is the risk to human health if one stays there for a long time?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I will repeat that the current situation is not one that requires evacuation.

Even if a high level of radioactivity is found in soil, the situation differs if we are talking about radioactive iodine with a short half-life or a longer half-life. As necessary measures must be taken regarding the possibility of a health risk, experts, including members of the NSC, are conducting careful analyses.

Currently, the most qualitative data can be obtained from monitoring atmospheric radioactivity. Tests for this have been conducted around the plant as well as the area within the 20km zone in the broadest and most detailed manner possible. We would like to increase the number of sites where soil sampling is carried out to the greatest extent possible in order to predict the long-term effects of this incident. We are urgently working on this.

REPORTER: I am Oda of the Sankei Shimbun. What exactly do you mean when you say “long-term”?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The amount of radioactive materials in each spot has been announced, but the main issue of main concern is whether each of these radioactive materials has a long half-life or not. We have to determine if there has been any increase in the amount of radioactive materials. For instance, we must find out if radioactive particles are still falling out of the air, or if the level of radiation is dropping due to some particles like radioactive iodine having a short half-life. We must thoroughly analyze the data gathered to see how long their effects will persist. Experts continue to move forward with analyses and surveys so that there will be no delay in a decision to take necessary actions if they are required from a safety perspective.

REPORTER: I am Kageyama of Mainichi Shimbun. In relation to the previous question, it has already been two or three weeks since the incident, and high levels of radiation are still being detected in various places. Don't you think this problem has already gone on for a long time?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Experts have been analyzing the effect of staying in these areas ― those where monitoring is being conducted ― for a long time, utilizing SPEEDI analysis and other examinations, and while I cannot say how accurate these measurements are, we have been making decisions based on expert opinions up until now and will continue to do so.

REPORTER: I am Hirabayashi of Nippon TV. My question concerns the state of damage to the pressure vessels. The water found around the reactor contains a high concentration of radioactive materials, and some experts have said that it may be leaking from the bottom of the pressure vessels, suggesting that it may be due to damage to the area around where control rods are inserted in particular. What is your understanding of the situation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As highly irradiated water containing radioactive materials originating in the fuel rods has been found inside the turbine buildings and at other locations, there is no doubt that water is leaking from the reactor core by some way or other. I haven't received information about whether or not the cause of leakage has been identified, or even which sections is likely the cause. Although it must be difficult to find this immediately at the site, I'm asking the experts to identify the cause as much as possible through direct and indirect analyses.

REPORTER: But we can at least assume that the pressure vessel is currently not 100% sealed?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Unfortunately, there can be no doubt about that, as the radioactive materials found in the water come from the fuel rods.

REPORTER: I am Takahashi of Bloomberg. In the press conference by the IAEA yesterday, one of the participants commented that there was the possibility the power plant may reach re-criticality. I would like to ask again: is there the possibility of functional re-criticality occurring? What is the Government's understanding of this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The IAEA, and Government as well, of course feel that since the situation is what it is, in order to prevent anything truly terrible from happening we should consider every possibility. And so I cannot deny any possibility. While the understanding that no possibility can be denied is shared by the IAEA, that isn't to say that the organization has found any data that re-criticality is occurring ― they have not.

The IAEA has also said it is trying to confirm that there is no possibility that the reactors will explode. I think that there is no real disagreement between the Government and the IAEA.

REPORTER: I am Nanao of Nico Nico Douga. The chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) was not very clear on this at the company's press conference yesterday, but it seems like there is no roadmap toward a conclusion to the problems at the Fukushima power plants and that it is thus currently difficult to make headway on a concrete plan for reconstruction. Has the Government requested that TEPCO draw up a roadmap?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: In addition to requesting this of TEPCO, the Government would also like to announce a roadmap soon. As you are aware, many people have been affected by this disaster, including those that live in the area and farmers whose livelihoods have been hurt by rumors of radioactivity. We want to decide on a road map as quickly as possible for these people. At the same time, at the current stage we cannot be very sure of what the right path to take is, and I don't think we should take this lightly. We are trying to balance many responsibilities.

As for what steps we can take to wrap this situation up, at the current moment in time we are receiving the cooperation of many people, and in a sense carrying out a number of initiatives for a conclusion on this matter all at once. We are not yet at a point where I can responsibly report on how long it will take us to conclude this issue. We are working toward a conclusion as fast as we possibly can.

REPORTER: I am Koketsu from Jiji Press. My question concerns the radioactive material that has made its way to outside of the reactor buildings at the power plant in the water. Some are saying that a treatment plant will be built on site at the power plant. Can you please tell us about the plans for this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: We will carry out simultaneous discussions on each possibility and method or rather, we will work simultaneously for a solution to the problems we face. At the current point in time I have not received a detailed explanation on what exactly will be done. We will continue to simultaneously discuss every possibility and method.

REPORTER: Regarding reconstruction, there are reports that the Prime Minister is meeting with experts and businesspeople to discuss a vision for the future and the establishment of something like a reconstruction commission. Is the Prime Minister discussing this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: While the Prime Minister will of course have the final say in the matter, we recognize the value of consulting many sources, including experts, about what was done after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occured. The Prime Minister is leading discussion on what kind of framework and measures will be forwarded in the end.

I have not received any report from the Prime Minister that anything has been concretely decided yet.

REPORTER: What is the feeling about scheduling right now?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have heard that the Prime Minister is also in the final stages of consideration about this as well.

REPORTER: I am Sato of the Asahi Shimbun. In the 30km around the power plant are many companies and offices that have been given no choice but to halt business due to the evacuation. Is the Government considering any measures for these businesses, such as compensation? What is your opinion on this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: For anyone who has left the area based on the instructions of the Government, be they individuals or workers, in the end the losses of the businesses in the region are the losses of the whole country. We absolutely must compensate them. This is clear.

We will try to implement measures at the end of this fiscal year when these businesses close their account and make settlements. We are asking each ministry to flexibly respond to this situation by implementing such measures as temporary bridge subsidies.

REPORTER: I am Kageyama of the Mainichi Shimbun. At a press conference yesterday you stated that it was obvious that Units 5 and 6 should be shut down in addition to Units 1 to 4 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. What are your thoughts on Units 1 to 4 of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I said no such thing yesterday. I said that the social and objective situation was clear. I did not make any judgment of the situation personally.

As for other areas, I think what option we need to choose will become clear as we look at the situation in society or the wider scientific or objective situation.

REPORTER: Sorry, but do you feel the same way about Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I do not think the situation differs whether you look at it from a social or scientific perspective. I really feel that what option we need to make will become clear as we look at the overall situation socially, scientifically and objectively.

REPORTER: And is your opinion the same with regard to Units 5 and 6 at Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have no direct comment at the current time on the social or scientific situation there.

REPORTER: I am Oda of the Sankei Shimbun. There are reports that the implementation of the FY2011 budget will be partially reserved so that a portion of the funds can be reallocated to finance reconstruction. Is this true? In addition, there are also reports that a decision will be made on this at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting. Are there such plans?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: A draft budget has been passed, and the new fiscal year will start from tomorrow.

This should be obvious, but the response to the earthquake is not something which we could have envisioned during the budget formulation process, and so naturally we will have to formulate a supplementary budget to deal with it. I think that it is a matter of course that in the process of implementing the budget we will have to keep in mind the need for a supplementary budget. The Ministry of Finance is currently deliberating on the exact content of both budgets.

REPORTER: In relation to that, Nippon Keidanren is calling for the ruling parties to first amend their manifestos and then implement temporary tax hikes in order to pay for reconstruction. What are your thoughts on tax hikes in particular?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: We are entering a new fiscal year and must move forward with fiscal measures to secure funding for reconstruction. I think we must consider every possibility without exception as to the extent we will go to secure financial resources. At the current stage I cannot say what measures will be effective or what direction we have decided to move in.

Thank you for you attention.