Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuyama

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I would like to report an overview of the Cabinet meeting that took place today. The meeting approved 14 general and other measures, and also approved the promulgation of legislation and personnel decisions. There were a number of statements by ministers in the meeting. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries made a statement concerning Japan's official participation in the 2012 World Horticultural Expo and also about the Annual Report on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas in Japan FY2010. The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the results of the Labor Force Survey and the Family Income and Expenditure Survey. The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare made a statement on the jobs-to-applicants ratio.

In the ministerial meeting Minister Katayama made a statement concerning the status of submission of the program implementation plan for grants for autonomous regional development strategies and other measures, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry made a statement concerning energy-saving measures during the summer months.

Q&As

REPORTER: The US ratings agency Standard and Poor's has announced that the credit rating of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been downgraded by five ranks. Given the concerns of the impact on the financial markets, what is the Government's view of this announcement?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I am aware of the reports about this and their content, but this is ultimately a matter for the private sector and I do not think that it is appropriate for a representative of the Government to make comments on market issues. At the same time the compensation has recently been decided by the Government and efforts are underway towards formulating the required legislation at an early juncture, and these kinds of efforts are being made in an entirely different format and separate from the ratings of S&P and others.

REPORTER: There are moves in the Diet to submit a motion of no-confidence against the Cabinet, at the earliest this week. What are your views on this situation?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: Two days ago I returned with the Prime Minister from the G8 Summit and the Japan-EU Summit. Immediately upon my return, yesterday I received reports concerning the status of support for those living in the disaster-affected areas and the status of the regions where planned evacuations have already been implemented. Also, representatives of pick-your-own farm shops in Fukushima Prefecture visited the Prime Minister's Office and I heard about the very severe situation they are facing, given the drop in the numbers of tourists coming to pick cherries. At the Reconstruction Design Council that I attended two days ago immediately upon my return to Japan, I made time to engage in a brief exchange of opinions with Governor Murai of Miyagi Prefecture concerning the status of the disposal of waste and debris. I believe that given the importance of focusing on the recovery and reconstruction of Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, and bringing the situation at the power station in Fukushima under control and engaging in recovery and reconstruction there too, and attending to the needs of the disaster-affected residents, now is absolutely not the time to be discussing such matters as a no-confidence motion. At the G8 Summit the G8 leaders each extended their sincere hope that the situation at the power station would be resolved quickly and that Japan would be able to engage in reconstruction. They also all expressed their admiration for the courageous actions of the Japanese people following the disaster and for their fortitude and strength. In the midst of this situation where the international community is joining with Japan in hoping for stability at the power station and the swift reconstruction of Japan, it is my belief that it is not the time to be talking about no-confidence motions.

REPORTER: You say this, but it appears that there are people within your own party who may agree with the notion of a no-confidence motion. How do you view this situation?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: The Diet members of the party are all colleagues together and I think that if such a motion were submitted, we would unite to respond to it and vote it down.

REPORTER: Were there any comments about the no-confidence motion in the ministerial meeting today, from the Prime Minister or other ministers?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: The Prime Minister reported on his overseas visit, explaining the great expectations of other countries overseas for Japan's reconstruction as well as running through the outcomes of the various bilateral meetings he attended. He noted that each minister in the Kan Cabinet has one's own portfolio and that he wanted us all to continue to give our best efforts.

REPORTER: You just mentioned that the Government wishes to formulate the law relating to the compensation scheme at an early juncture. Does that mean you are intending to submit it to the current session of the Diet?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: What I meant was that the Government wishes to formulate such a law as quickly as possible.

REPORTER: A number of reports have suggested that the Prime Minister is considering extending the current session of the Diet for a considerable period. What are your views on this possible extension of the current session?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: This is a question that relates to Diet affairs and it is currently the case that the draft bill for the Basic Act on Reconstruction is being deliberated. It is the Government's wish that this bill passes the Diet at an early juncture as it will be extremely important for reconstruction efforts. Other matters are still under consideration.

REPORTER: There have been reports that the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee, the so-called "Two-Plus-Two" meeting is being scheduled for June 21. What is the current status of coordination of this meeting?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I am aware of these reports, but the Government is currently in the process of coordination with the United States Government.

REPORTER: In relation to Okinawa, there have been reports that the United States Government has notified the Japanese Government that new Osprey transport helicopters will be deployed to Okinawa next year. What are the facts behind these reports?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I am not aware of such a notification being made. At the current point it is the case that no formal notification has been made by the United States Government to the Japanese Government and this matter has not been confirmed.

REPORTER: With regard to the planned evacuations in Fukushima Prefecture, it seems that as we reach the end of May there are still many people who have not yet been evacuated. According to a survey taken by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) yesterday, there are parts of the village of Iitate that have already exceeded a cumulative exposure to radiation in excess of 20 mSv. What are your views on the current status of planned evacuations and what further measures do you intend to take?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: Mayor Kanno of Iitate village and Mayor Furukawa of Kawamata village have truly been working extremely hard over the past month and to the mayors and local officials, as well as to the people who have cooperated in the evacuations, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and utmost respect for their efforts. The two mayors have firstly concentrated on evacuating children, pregnant women and the sick, and I have received reports that all of these people have evacuated to temporary locations and that almost 90% of these people have now found more permanent evacuation locations. Among the residents there are a few who, for varying reasons, including the husbandry of their pigs, for example, who have been a little delayed in evacuating, but the mayors of the villages have indicated that they want to continue to make efforts to complete the evacuations as early as possible. The Government will continue to give maximum support for the evacuations and make further requests for the complete evacuation, and will continue to make efforts in this regard.

REPORTER: Returning to the issue of the Osprey helicopters, I believe that the deployment of these aircraft around autumn next year is generally considered to be common knowledge, and for this reason the government should be expected to explain the situation to Okinawa Prefecture. You have just stated that there has been no official notification from the United States, from which I took to imply that there has been an unofficial explanation of the situation. When do you intend to provide an explanation to the people of Okinawa about this issue?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I am aware that in the future there is a possibility that Osprey helicopters will be deployed in Okinawa, but as I just stated there has been no formal notification from the United States. The Government is seeking to collect information on the Osprey helicopter, but until a formal notification is forthcoming we are unable to provide an explanation to Okinawa Prefecture, and we have not yet reached that actual stage.

REPORTER: Have you received an explanation that there is such a plan?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: I am aware that there is a possibility of such a deployment. We are also currently in the process of collecting information about the Osprey helicopter.

REPORTER: Has this information been conveyed to Okinawa Prefecture?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: No, because as I have just stated there has still been no formal notification of this plan.

REPORTER: Yesterday morning in his press conference Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku responded to a question concerning the criticisms of the Government over the response to the disaster and in reply to a question whether it was the case that the "public could not see the forest for the trees," he stated that this could be the case to some degree. Should we take it to understand that you share Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku's view?

DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUKUYAMA: This was a statement made by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku and therefore they represent his views. There are various ways of looking at the results of opinion polls and I do not think that it is appropriate for me to comment on Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku's statements. At the same time, I should say that since the disaster the Government's first priority has been to make every possible effort to respond to the severe situation in which the disaster-affected people find themselves. Initially there were issues with a shortage of supplies of materials and a number of problems with various evacuation centers. However, as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sengoku mentioned yesterday, the Government has been working to respond to each issue and understand the problems that are being faced. Some of our measures have included the distribution of handbooks and interviews with individual evacuees in evacuation centers, as well as Senior Vice Ministers Hirano and Matsushita visiting the evacuation centers for those people affected by the power station accident and these are the individual ways in which we have been responding.