Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO I have one item to report to you. This morning the Review Meeting on Economic Situations was held. Given the fact that three months have now passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the meeting engaged in discussion on the current status of the Japanese economy, its outlook and points of concern. The Cabinet Office gave an explanation concerning the macroeconomic trends following the disaster and the scenarios and risk factors for future economic recovery, after which the attending Cabinet ministers engaged in discussions. With regard to the details of the meeting, I believe that Minister Yosano has already given a briefing to members of the press.

Q&As

REPORTER: Could you tell us about the status of considerations, including the possibility of evacuations, concerning the areas outside the planned evacuation areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that have recorded high levels of radiation?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO At the same time as implementing detailed monitoring, the Government is already engaged in consultations on response measures with local governments and in certain cases with people and residents directly involved, and I believe that a conclusion will be announced in the not too distant future.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Also with regard to the topic of radiation hotspots, are any considerations being given to ways support can be provided for evacuation, such as the designation of specified evacuation buffer zones, for example?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO I have not received a report concerning the final direction that measures are expected to take. However, I have expressed my wish that the considerations progress in a manner that gives maximum attention to the livelihoods and wishes of the residents in the various areas concerned, whilst thoroughly maintaining safety.

REPORTER: To put it another way, if the residents of such areas were unwilling to evacuate, would it be possible for them to continue to live in their homes?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO The basic premise for all measures is that safety and health can be assured.

REPORTER: On a different subject, yesterday some press reports stated that the Ministry of the Environment has decided on a policy concerning the permissible radiation concentration levels on bathing beaches, which is actually tougher than the standards set for drinking water. It seems that the tough standards have been set due to the danger that imbibing seawater in addition to drinking water will lead to further internal radiation exposure. Given the fact that people imbibe far more drinking water than seawater, I would have thought that the standards for drinking water would be stricter than those for seawater. What is your understanding on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO I have not yet received any report that the Ministry of the Environment has made a decision on this issue.

REPORTER: So it is the case that there has still not been a formal decision made on this issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO Yes, that is the case. The provisional limits set for drinking water are not limited to drinking water alone and the Food Safety Commission (FSC) is engaged in detailed examination of the ongoing emergency situation. Once the examination process by the FSC has reached a certain conclusion then I believe that the Government will explain its thinking thoroughly on this issue.

REPORTER: This is probably an issue that will emerge later, but given the fact that the Ministry of the Environment is responsible for bathing beaches and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is responsible for drinking water, don't you think that there could be a hint of inconsistency concerning the basis for the stipulated standards and the actual figures used, particularly given the issue of school yards under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that is still causing debate?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO I think that the fact that as a system responsibility for the various issues is split among a number of ministries and agencies is a challenge that will have to be addressed in the medium term. However, each ministry and agency has its own specialist competencies and knowledge. It is on the basis of such knowledge and expertise that considerations are implemented and ultimately, with regard to radiation and radioactive materials the opinions of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) are also solicited, and the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters ensures cross-governmental coordination to avoid inconsistencies in stipulated figures. Further efforts will be made to ensure that standards and figures issued are easy to understand and that there is no inconsistency among the different ministries and agencies responsible.

(Abridged)