Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have three items to report to you. The first item is about livestock within the 20km radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). Although it is extremely regrettable, pursuant to the provisions of Article 20, Paragraph 3 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, instructions have been issued by the Chief of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters to the governor of Fukushima Prefecture to euthanize livestock inside the 20km no-entry zone. This measure is to be implemented after gaining the approval of the owners of the livestock and the livestock are to be euthanized in a manner that causes minimal suffering. For further details please direct your questions to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

The second item concerns public relations. On the occasion of the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit, scheduled to be held on May 21 and 22, it has been decided that the Government and media organizations from Japan, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will cooperate to provide a "press pool information service" designed to ensure information relating to the summit is provided rapidly in English, Chinese and Korean. Official Government documents and other information will also be provided in Japanese. For the press pool information service three companies - Kyodo News from Japan, Xinhua News Agency from China, and Yonhap News Agency from the ROK - are expected to establish a joint online news site, on which documents relating to the summit and images taken by the three companies will be uploaded and provided in the languages I have just mentioned. The site will be configured to allow other media organizations to access the site and quote from it. The Government welcomes this effort to create cooperative press relations among the three countries of Japan, China and the ROK as a means of rapidly providing multi-lingual information relating to the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit. Using the press pool information service the Government will continue to make further efforts to provide information to the outside world. For further details please direct your questions to the Global Communications Office of the Prime Minister's Office.

The final item I have to report relates to the supplementary budget that was approved recently, and concerns the publication today of a "Handbook for Rebuilding Lives and Businesses," which aims to provide easy-to-understand information that will be useful for people affected by the disaster who are seeking to rebuild their lives and businesses. A copy of the handbook has been distributed to all reporters. As you can see it has two covers, if you read it from one side it contains information for businesses, and if you read it from the other side it contains information pertinent to individual households and families. A total of 100,000 copies have been printed and it will be distributed from May 16, to the evacuation centers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures as well as to local governments and cooperating convenience stores and supermarkets. Preparations are also being made to distribute the handbook to people who have evacuated to other prefectures in addition to the three I have just mentioned. The Government hopes that the information contained in the handbook will be useful for people affected by the disaster in rebuilding their lives and businesses as quickly as possible and will provide a certain degree of peace of mind. For further details please contact the Cabinet Public Relations Office.

Q&As

REPORTER: With regard to the matter relating to livestock that you have just mentioned, can you provide any information about the compensation that will be provided?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: My understanding is that based on the guidelines of the advisory council, any livestock that are disposed in the areas affected on the basis of Government instructions, will of course be eligible for compensation. I feel very sorry for the owners of the livestock who have spent time and effort rearing the animals and I fear that even if they are provided financial compensation this decision will be agonizing for them. I expect that TEPCO will move to provide compensation without delay.

REPORTER: With regard to the euthanizing of livestock, what is the reason for the timing of the decision and does the Government intend to seek the understanding of the people who will be affected by the decision?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I believe that there are many owners of livestock who wish to continue to rear their animals and this decision will be a very difficult one for these people. However, given the fact that the no-entry zone has been designated, it is no longer possible for these livestock to continue to be fed. If they can no longer be fed then it would also be tremendously painful for the owners to know that the animals that they have fed and nurtured by hand are being left to grow weak and die from starvation. I realize that both choices are very difficult and painful ones to be forced into making, but in view of the fact that for safety reasons the area has been designated as a no-entry zone and therefore it is no longer possible to continue to feed the livestock, the only option remaining is to euthanize them. Bearing in mind the agonizing position for the owners, it has also been a difficult decision for the Government to take responsibility in issuing these instructions and I realize that there are criticisms that the people affected are being forced into making a hard decision in the most difficult situations. It is these difficult circumstances which have led to the Government taking responsibility and issuing these measures.

REPORTER: I understand that we should inquire with MAFF for details, but how long does the Government anticipate it will take to implement this measure?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: We have issued the measures in the following format. The measures are basically to be implemented in the manner in which I have just explained, with approval being sought from the owners of the livestock. The measures will be implemented as we gain the understanding of the owners in a sensitive manner and explain the Government measures to them.

REPORTER: I wonder if you know the approximate number of livestock that will be subject to this measure.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I understand that this measure will apply to approximately 1,000 but please direct your question to MAFF for details.

REPORTER: I believe that the relevant members of the Cabinet will be meeting later to discuss the scheme for damage compensation relating to the nuclear power station accident. When does the Government plan to submit the draft bills relating to this scheme?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: If everything runs smoothly, I expect that a conclusion on a framework or scheme for damage compensation will be reached at the earliest today. However, as has been reported widely in the press, the creation of draft legislation relating to this matter will require the creation of a new structure or organization. In addition, one of the major preconditions of this scheme is that a third-party committee will engage in responsible auditing and examination of the assets and costs accruing to TEPCO. If these measures are to be implemented properly, it will require some time for preparations to be made, possibly in terms of months. On the other hand, this scheme is not directly linked to the payment of compensation to the people affected by the accident. This scheme is being prepared in view of the fact that it is anticipated that compensation and costs amounting to trillions of yen will have to be prepared. The policy concerning temporary payments that has already been determined and any other stopgap policies on compensation that may be forthcoming in the near future will be the basis for payments in the interim period and are not directly related to the compensation scheme that is currently being formulated. Regardless of the submission of legislation relating to this scheme, TEPCO will continue to expedite measures to disburse temporary compensation payments.

REPORTER: Does this mean that the submission of legislation will not be possible during the current session of the Diet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: At the current point I do not think I can give you a definite answer, but what I can say is that this scheme involves the payment of taxpayers' money to a private company, and while this money will be returned in the future, it is essential to examine thoroughly the status of restructuring and other measures at the company before going forward. At the same time the payment of compensation to victims of the accident is not related to this scheme and payments will be duly advanced in the interim by TEPCO.

REPORTER: I believe that there have been strong criticisms by the opposition parties relating to the Government's response to the nuclear power station accident. In the period leading up to the submission of draft legislation, how will you be explaining the Government's efforts to the opposition parties?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Rather than providing an explanation to the opposition parties, I believe that the Government has a responsibility to the public to firmly grasp the status of independent measures being taken by TEPCO and TEPCO stakeholders and disclose such information. The Government seeks to gain understanding on the basis of the self-help efforts being duly implemented by TEPCO and its stakeholders, including shareholders and financial institutions, and convey these facts to the public.

REPORTER: With regard to the situation surrounding the use of school yards in Fukushima Prefecture, the Government has set a level for accumulated exposure of 20 mSv. However, recently Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet members Ishimori and Soramoto have submitted a written request to the Prime Minister, calling for the immediate revision of this standard. What is the Government's explanation concerning this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have said on repeated occasion that it is not the Government's understanding that 20 mSv is the permissible limit. I believe the figure that has been stated is 3.8 µSv per hour. If a person remains in a one place for eight hours per day where there is such a reading and then returns to a wood-built home for the remaining 16 hours per day the total for 365 days would amount to annual exposure of 20 mSv. That is the meaning of the stated 3.8 µSv/h figure. Efforts are being made to ensure that school yards do not exceed this limit and for those yards that do exceed the limit a request has been made to limit usage to no more than one hour per day. Various monitoring has actually been implemented at schools and the levels recorded there have generally been less than one-tenth of the stipulated per hour figure and surrounding asphalt surfaces have been less than half the stated figure. These readings are gradually decreasing and other efforts, including the replacement of topsoil in school yards, are also being made to ensure that accumulated annual exposure to radiation is far below the 20 mSv level and the outlook is that accumulated exposure will actually be far below this level. The Government's stance is to continue to make further efforts in this regard.

REPORTER: What you have just stated has been the Government's explanation to date, but I think that the fact that DPJ Diet members have issued a written request calling for immediate revision is likely to cause confusion among the public. What are your views on this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Government seeks to provide full information and maintain accountability and the content and purpose of the measures I have just mentioned has also been repeatedly explained by the Cabinet. While there are criticisms of these measures, I hope that the members of the press, who have considerable influence over public opinion, will accurately understand their purpose and content.

REPORTER: Then are you saying that there is a bit of a misunderstanding between the two of you?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The meaning is as I explained a moment ago. The Government has repeatedly said that it is not in fact permitting exposure up to 20mSv per year, and I don't think we will ever actually reach this figure.

REPORTER: Just to confirm, regarding the culling of livestock, is my understanding correct that the Government order is not binding? Also, if people do not cooperate, is there a possibility that they will not qualify for compensation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, the order was directed to the prefectural governor, in this case, the Governor of Fukushima Prefecture. In that respect, the order is not based on powers to give direct orders to the livestock owners. Also, in terms of the issue of compensation, to determine whether or not compensation will be provided, the amount of damage will be calculated based on whether or not there is a supposed cause and effect relationship with the nuclear power disaster. Therefore, with regards to the livestock within the 20km radius, I believe in principle the order will not have any effect on the amount of damage being appraised and compensated, since their proprietary values were lost due to the nuclear power station accident.

REPORTER: I have a related question on the compensation scheme to be decided on later. The Prime Minister has emphasized from before that the Government too has a responsibility for the nuclear power accident. How does the Government intend to take responsibility for this accident?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I believe I also spoke a little bit about this at this morning's press conference. Regarding responsibility for the nuclear power station accident, first, compensation for resulting damages will be paid by TEPCO in accordance with the Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damages. The operator will make the payments. Meanwhile, it is true that the Government too has promoted nuclear power stations over the course of many decades. The Government no doubt has to take social responsibility for not being able to ultimately prevent this accident despite its role as a regulatory authority. At the same time, aside from that, I believe the Government also has a heavy responsibility to limit the expansion of or minimize the damages of the accident. In this context, naturally, both now and moving forward in particular, various measures need to be taken to minimize the damages as much as possible. That raises issues, such as what to do with the soil of school grounds. As I said a moment ago, I believe with the current condition of the school grounds, there is zero chance that school grounds will pose a health risk. However, in order to lessen the psychological burden by even a small amount and to prevent a very remote chance of something happening, we will take steps to improve the soil. I believe in principle this should be done at the expense of the Government. If in the end this contributes to minimizing the damages, TEPCO's burden will be reduced relatively. The operator has a responsibility in the form of making compensation payments, i.e., compensation for the resulting damages. The Government's responsibility is to minimize the damages themselves. Our first steps will be to fulfill our responsibility. In theory, I suppose in the end there will be a discussion on sharing the burden between TEPCO and the Government. However, I believe that is still a long time away from now. I believe for the time being the Government should do its utmost to fulfill its responsibility to minimize the expansion of damages, including cost.

REPORTER: Is there any chance that the Government will be responsible for the payment of the compensation itself?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: At the very least, under the scheme of the Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damages, it is legally provided that the operator shall bear responsibility if not stipulated as an exception. This provision must be applied. Based on this Act, the operator shall first pay the compensation regardless of whether or not there was negligence. This is the way the system is arranged under the Act. That is not to say the Government will not bear any responsibility. First, as I mentioned a moment ago, the Government is determined to fulfill its responsibility to minimize the amount of damages, in other words, to minimize the damages. The Government will also be responsible for ensuring that TEPCO does not fail to make payments or does not make delayed payments. I believe that is the responsibility of the Government.

REPORTER: Just one more question. At this morning's press conference, you said that you do not want the scheme to increase electricity prices. Is there a chance that the people will have to bear some cost?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As I mentioned this morning, to be honest we are still far away from being able to come up with an estimate for the total figure for the amount of damages. If we are able to keep it within the amount we now generally envision, which is still a huge amount, the Government will do its utmost to fulfill its responsibility. If the amount falls within that range, I believe through the self-efforts of TEPCO and stakeholders, they will be able to come up with the amount commensurate with the compensation amount, without directly relying on electricity prices and taxes.