Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Q&As

REPORTER: With regard to the issue of the restarting of Genkai Nuclear Power Station in Saga Prefecture, today Governor Furukawa of Saga Prefecture stated to the Prefectural Assembly that a visit by Prime Minister Kan to the prefecture would be an important factor in making a decision on restarting operations at the power station and that he would make a decision after receiving a response about a visit by the Prime Minister. What kind of response will the Government be making to this statement?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As for the restarting of operations at power stations following a series of checks and investigations, I think that what is most important is to confirm the safety measures in place at the power stations and for the central government to provide a thorough explanation to the local governments concerned. In the case of Saga Prefecture, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry has already visited the prefecture and provided an explanation to government officials at the prefectural and municipal levels. I am aware that on the basis of this explanation further consideration is being given to the matter in the Prefectural Assembly and other bodies. With regard to the comments made by the governor that you have just mentioned, I have not yet received a specific report. Whatever the case, the Government's position is that it will continue to provide the necessary explanations thoroughly to local governments and other bodies.

REPORTER: Do you think it is possible that the Prime Minister could visit the prefecture, or that the Governor of Saga Prefecture could visit Tokyo?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have not directly heard the details of the governor's comments, but the Government will continue to make efforts to provide explanations to local governments and residents to gain their understanding, and this applies to all nuclear power stations and not just to the one in Saga Prefecture.

REPORTER: It would appear that the Prime Minister has given Lady Gaga some flowers. Are you aware of this?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have not heard the details, but since the disaster the Government has received many messages of support from famous people in Japan and overseas. Lady Gaga has been offering her active support since the disaster struck. Although I am not aware of the details, I believe that the point of contact would be the Japan Tourism Agency and it would be through that agency that the flowers would have been sent as a token of appreciation.

REPORTER: Does the Prime Minister like the songs of Lady Gaga?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I do not know about that.

REPORTER: Do you like the songs of Lady Gaga?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I have heard her songs, but as many of you are aware, I am not very proficient at foreign languages and although I like the songs themselves, I do not have detailed knowledge about foreign singers.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: With regard to the issue of participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), at the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting in May, it was stated that Japan would like to make a decision as soon as possible. However, since then little progress seems to have been made. What is the current status on this issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Various efforts are being made to collect a variety of information on the situations of the countries involved in the TPP, and overall consideration is being given to TPP participation, taking into account the views and feelings of the agricultural and fisheries industries that have been affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power station accident.

REPORTER: On a related note, although it was Prime Minister Kan who stated to President Obama that Japan would like to make a decision as early as possible, it now seems that in realistic terms such a decision will not be made under the administration of Prime Minister Kan. What are your views on this point?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: In general, and not just limited to the example you have given, when engaging in talks with foreign leaders of government, while the Prime Minister is engaged on a personal level, the statements that are made are from the office of the Prime Minister of Japan. Therefore, in the case you mentioned I believe that the Prime Minister was making the statement in the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting not in his personal capacity, but as Prime Minister of Japan

REPORTER: I have been taking press coverage not merely along the main Route 45, but in more minor areas along the coast, including small ports and villages. One of the issues that have become apparent in these small communities over the last three months is that many of the people who have died still have not been granted posthumous Buddhist names. When I asked the temples about this situation, I was told that a certain amount of money is required in order to attain a posthumous name. However, persons affected by the disaster are not in a position to provide this money. Also, it is the case that many family shrines have been washed away in the disaster and there is currently no system for families to receive financial support from banks to rebuild such shrines. Joint funeral ceremonies have been held for victims, but many have still to be granted posthumous names. In addition, the devotional tablets and personal Buddhist shrines have been damaged and many people therefore have no place to worship or commemorate deceased family members. Given this situation, would it not be possible to include provision in the second supplementary budget for support for such matters? At the moment, talk is focused on the building of large-scale memorials to the disaster, but it does not include provisions for individual emotional healing seeking and according their deceased relatives an appropriate ceremony. Would it not be possible to include such provisions in a supplementary budget?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: My heart goes out to the people you have mentioned who are facing such circumstances. On the other hand, with regard to specific support for matters such as posthumous Buddhist names, given that the Government is based on the concept of separation of state and religion, it would be difficult in constitutional terms to provide direct support for such matters. However, relief funds are being provided to disaster victims and other financial resources are also being provided directly, and while the provision of such funds has regrettably been delayed, over the last few weeks the distribution of these funds has speeded up considerably. By accelerating the provision of relief funds, the Government seeks to expedite measures to respond to the psychological aspects of the disaster arising from economic and financial reasons, such as the example you have just given.

(Abridged)