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. Today, under the guidance of the Prime Minister who chairs the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters, revisions were made to the food inspection plan and the procedures for the establishment or removal of shipping restrictions and other restrictions which were set forth on April 4, 2011, also bearing in mind the advice of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The following three major revisions were made. First, it was decided that the criteria which are specified for removing the shipping restrictions and consumption restrictions will be separated into two categories: cases in which the radioactive iodine level exceeded the standard; and cases in which the radioactive cesium level exceeded the standard. This was done to take further note of the characteristics of radioactive cesium. Second, food items which have high consumption levels among the people were added to the list of inspection items. Third, information about the handling of individual items, which have been available for vegetables and milk to date, are now also available for tea, fishery products, and wheat. In addition, today, pursuant to the provisions of Article 20, Paragraph 3 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, we instructed the Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture and the Governor of Fukushima Prefecture to place shipping restrictions on the tea produced in Nakai Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, as well as the natural Japanese trout and dace which are caught in the downstream area of the Shinobu Dam on Abukuma River in Fukushima Prefecture and the natural Japanese trout which are caught in Mano River and Niida River, including the tributaries of Fukushima Prefecture. The contents of the revisions made to the procedures for the shipping restrictions, etc. and the instructions given today are expected to be made available later in the press releases of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. For details, please direct your questions to the respective ministries.