Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO:

(Abridged)

At the informal gathering of ministers after the Cabinet meeting, the Minister for Finance made a statement concerning the decision to hold the 67th Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Tokyo in 2012.

I have one more item to report. On June 6, New York time, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon announced his intention to seek a second term as head of the organization. A message was sent to New York from Prime Minister Kan stating that Japan supports the re-appointment of Secretary-General Ban. The Government of Japan highly appraises the role played by Secretary-General Ban during his five-year tenure in dealing with various global issues and expects that he will continue to perform his responsibilities in the international community.

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: At the current point the opposition parties are indicating that they will not cooperate with any deliberations other than for the draft bill for the Basic Act on Reconstruction. What are your views on this matter, from your position as Chief Cabinet Secretary?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I am aware that the various parties will each have their own individual stances. At the same time, given the current situation in the Diet, in view of the importance of responding to the disaster and nuclear power station incident, I believe that if the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and the Cabinet press forward with a thorough response to these issues, we will be able to gain the understanding of the opposition parties.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question about the sludge from sewage treatment plants in which radioactive materials have been detected. There are many local governments that have now reached a stage where they can no longer store all the contaminated sludge. How does the Government view this situation and are there any plans to designate national criteria for the final processing of this sludge?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The relevant government ministries and agencies are engaged in considerations concerning final processing methods and criteria. On the basis of these considerations and also taking into account the opinions of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) the Government will consult with local governments on this issue.

REPORTER: Has a specific schedule been decided for when this will be implemented?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Ideally it should be done as soon as possible, but given safety aspects and the reality that this sludge must be processed in a thorough manner, the relevant government ministries and agencies are currently coordinating measures and engaging in considerations.

REPORTER: As we head towards the summer beach season a number of local governments are engaging in monitoring of the seawater at their beaches. However, in the criteria issued by the Ministry of the Environment for bathing beaches there is no reference to radioactive materials. Are there any plans for the Government to formulate criteria for bathing beaches concerning the levels of radioactive materials and whether beaches are safe for bathing or not?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: This is an issue that would cause considerable trouble for local governments if a final decision were left in their hands. Therefore I believe that it will be necessary for the Government to issue national guidelines, based on the opinions of the Ministry of the Environment, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and ultimately those of the NSC. This is something that consideration will be given to from now.

REPORTER: There are some local governments who are referring to the provisional standards set for drinking water when considering what to do about bathing beaches. What is the Government's view on such measures by local governments?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: This is a matter that incorporates technical issues from the perspective of ensuring safety and it will be necessary to make a decision on the basis of opinions from experts. The criteria for drinking water have been established based on the fact that you drink such water and in the case of bathing in the sea, while it will be the case that people get water in their mouths, it is not quite the same thing as actually drinking the water. It is for this reason that the Government will seek to have experts analyze this issue.

(Abridged)