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 on the creation of a new framework for the resolution of conflicts related to nuclear emergency damage compensation.

It is expected that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) will receive an unimaginable amount of damage compensation claims in relation to the nuclear incidents, perhaps reaching to a number unheard of in the world thus far. I order to realize economic relief for those affected by this disaster as soon as possible, there is a need to create a framework for the resolution of conflicts that could deal with damage compensation claim filing procedures and resolutions in an expeditious and appropriate way. Thus, we have begun work to expand the functions of the existing Review Panel on Conflicts over Compensation for Damages by Nuclear Power, placing new intermediary commissioners to mediate reconciliation beneath it, and thereby establishing a system by which multiple, smaller reconciliation/intermediary panels will be created under these committees. A secretariat will also be created centered around the many lawyers who will support this whole process. We will also be monitoring the state of conflict resolution moving forward and considering what kind of legal measures should be put into place to bolster the Review Panel's conflict resolution functionality. For further details, please inquire at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Q&As

REPORTER: Including the personnel for the secretariat, how many people do you imagine will be employed following the enlargement of the framework for conflict resolution?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As each organization will be positioned under MEXT, I ask that you direct detailed questions to them. The basic idea is that the secretariat will employ dozens of people, with each reconciliation panel made up of a number of lawyers employed on a temporary basis.

REPORTER: Concerning the new legal measures, concretely, what is the feeling within the Government as to when this will be submitted to the Diet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: We haven't discussed the details that concretely yet. I believe that for one thing, we will probably be thinking more about that only after seeing the situation in each reconciliation/intermediary panel. It depends on the number of compensation claims; as the Review Panel will issue guidelines as to how much compensation is to be awarded in general, if those affected by the disaster mostly accept what they get as fair, then there won't be much need for conflict resolution. I myself expect the Review Panel to announce guidelines that will satisfy many. However, if there are those who feel that what they get is not enough, and that the amount of damage caused was much greater, than we want to have in place a method to resolve conflicts in a simple and expeditious way without going to court. So we will also be watching to see how many people will make such a claim, and then responding from there.

REPORTER: On a separate topic, some media outlets are reporting that arrangements are underway to make the position of Minister of State for Disaster Management a dedicated post. Any comments on the truth to those claims?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: You mean the Minister of Reconstruction.

REPORTER: Yes, sorry about that. I meant the Minister of Reconstruction. My apologies.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: At the current moment in time, the Prime Minister has issued no concrete instructions related to that.

REPORTER: Do you think it would be better if it was a dedicated post? Or would you prefer it to be a concurrent post held by an existing minister?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Since this is a matter of personnel pertaining to the Cabinet, as the Chief Cabinet Secretary, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to make a comment about that without confirming the opinion of the Prime Minister first.

REPORTER: Related to that, will the person named to this post be announced tomorrow or...? Has anything in particular been said related to this or the procedures that need to be undertaken in relation to the appointment?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Prime Minister hasn't said anything specific. That said, by my judgment the necessary preparations are being made so that the appointment can be made any day from tomorrow.

REPORTER: When you say the necessary preparations, do you mean that there will be a new Cabinet member replacing one of the current members? You mean that preparations have been made among the 17 ministers?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Basic Act on Reconstruction will be promulgated tomorrow. With it, we must make a final decision based on the opinion of the secretariat and of course the newly appointed Minister of Reconstruction. We are making preparations for this.

REPORTER: As a follow up question, some are reporting that there will be a Cabinet reshuffle along with the appointment of the Minister of Reconstruction. I understand that all you can really say about that is that it is up to the discretion of the Prime Minister, but I wonder what you think about a Prime Minister who has announced his intention to resign deciding to reshuffle his Cabinet?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As I have said a number of times, the Prime Minister has not issued any specific instructions, including on what should be done about the Minister of Reconstruction.

REPORTER: The first recommendations to be issued by the Reconstruction Design Council apparently include the creation of special zones for revitalization of fisheries proposed by the Mayor of Miyagi Prefecture. While this is a recommendation that has been well received in some quarters, there is strong opposition to such special zones among the local fisheries operators themselves. What are your views on this issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The discussions of the Reconstruction Design Council have been implemented in an extremely open manner, and I am therefore aware that the process of discussion has been reported to some degree by the press. However, as the Council is a consultative body that the Government has requested to engage in discussions, I do not think it would be polite of me to make a comment at this stage from a Government perspective, given the fact that we will make a response to the recommendations once they are officially submitted this weekend.

REPORTER: With regard to the position of Minister for Reconstruction, do you think that it would be preferable for the same person to remain in the position, even at such a time when Prime Minister Kan will resign from office?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The personnel decisions relating to Cabinet members are the exclusive preserve of the Prime Minister at the time and I therefore do not believe that I am in a position to make a comment.

REPORTER: This is similar to the previous question, but there are many who believe that the Minister for Reconstruction should be appointed with a portfolio exclusively for it to engage fully in reconstruction-related work. What are your views on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: This is something that will be decided by the Prime Minister. I am well aware of the many voices expressing such an opinion, and at the same time, we are currently in a situation in which there is no minister with a portfolio for reconstruction and where various ministers have to perform various roles in conjunction with their other duties. Based on such objective situations, the final decision on establishing a position for a minister for reconstruction will be made by the Prime Minister.

REPORTER: On a related note, at the time when the proposed revisions to the Cabinet Act were being made, they were premised on the fact that given the scope of the current disaster it would be difficult for ministers to engage in reconstruction efforts in conjunction with their existing duties. Therefore, the position of a Minister for Reconstruction was proposed, along with further increases to the number of Cabinet ministers. I believe, therefore, that the decision to be made by the Prime Minister will be premised on the fact that it would be preferable to have a minister exclusively responsible for reconstruction. You have also made comments to this effect in the past. Have your opinions on this issue remained unchanged?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As I have just stated, there are many voices who are expressing an opinion that the post should be exclusively for the purpose of reconstruction, and I believe that in general terms it would be preferable to have a minister with an exclusive portfolio. However, regrettably we have yet to gain the understanding of the Diet with regard to the revisions to the Cabinet Act. Therefore, under the current situation, there are some ministers performing multiple roles and if it is the case that one minister is given an exclusive portfolio for reconstruction it would result in the workload of other ministers increasing, as they would have to take on that minister's other responsibility. The Prime Minister will consider these factors and make a final decision.

(Abridged)