Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

(Abridged)

Q&As

REPORTER: Can you tell us specifically what comments the Prime Minister made in ministerial roundtable discussions, concerning the formulation of a Basic Policy on Reconstruction?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Basic Policy on Reconstruction is planned to be compiled by the end of this month in the Reconstruction Headquarters in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. In the roundtable ministerial discussions today, Minister Hirano presented an overview of some of the items for consideration in compilingsuch a basic policy, and stated that with the cooperation of the various ministers involved he would like to start working on considering items for inclusion in the basic policy. Based on that statement, the Prime Minister instructed cooperation for these efforts, and particularly with regard to special zones for reconstruction and also the provision of easily accessible grants. He also stated that he wanted the process of compiling the basic policy to consider the various issues without being bound by existing concepts or initiatives.

REPORTER: On a related note, there has been a talk that ministerial meetings concerning fiscal resources for reconstruction will be established. Can you provide some details about the facts of this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Government must compile more concrete measures for fiscal resources for reconstruction, based on the Basic Act on Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the recommendations of the Reconstruction Design Council. These are matters that will ultimately be decided by the Reconstruction Headquarters in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and will require Cabinet approval or the passage of legislation. As a phase before this final compilation process, it was thought necessary for the relevant ministers involved to discuss the issues a little further, and I have already provided a report that Minister Hirano, as well as the Ministers of Finance, Internal Affairs and Communications, Economic and Fiscal Policy, and National Policy will join me in engaging in various considerations.

REPORTER: I believe that the Cabinet meeting and roundtable ministerial discussions today lasted much longer than initially scheduled duration of about ten minutes. Was the reason for this extension due to the fact that you were discussing the Basic Policy on Reconstruction?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: It has been our policy since the time of the Hatoyama Administration for ministers to engage in substantive discussions in the Cabinet meetings and roundtable ministerial discussions. There have been a number of cases in which it is not possible to give due attention to some issues, in view of the Diet schedule and other matters. I do not think that the meeting today was extraordinarily long, in fact it was of a rather normal length and in the course of the meeting we did discuss the Basic Policy on Reconstruction. However, it is customary not to report on the details of the Cabinet meetings and roundtable ministerial discussions.

REPORTER: In considerations relating to the fiscal resources for reconstruction, are you considering anything other than key taxes?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: This is something about which the ministers involved will engage in consultations from now. Specific consideration will be given to this issue, based on the recommendations of the Reconstruction Design Council, the Basic Act on Reconstruction and the three-party agreement on which the Basic Act is premised.

REPORTER: When will these ministerial meetings on fiscal resources begin, and at what point do you plan on consulting with the opposition parties on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: At the moment Minister Hirano is leading efforts to create documents and materials as a means of advancing discussions and I therefore expect that ministerial consultations can begin from around the middle of next week. I am well aware that unless we engage in substantive consultations with the opposition parties and gain their understanding it will be difficult to make progress, however, at the current point it has not been decided about specifically when and how we will seek to consult with them. Minister Gemba, who is Minister for National Policy, will be attending the meetings, and he also serves as Chair of the Policy Research committee, which engages in consultations with all political parties. With his role in mind, I believe the consultative and discussion processes will be advanced.

REPORTER: In the Cabinet meeting and roundtable ministerial discussions, did the Prime Minister or Minister Kaieda engage in any discussions about energy policy or any matters relating to nuclear power stations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: An explanation was provided and discussion was held on the status of efforts to ensure the safety of nuclear power stations and means of gaining the understanding of the public about safety measures and enhancing peace of mind.

REPORTER: Didn't you discuss anything other than that?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: What we discussed was the same as the information I provided to you in my press conference yesterday afternoon.

REPORTER: I believe that in roundtable ministerial discussions a number of ministers expressed their dissatisfaction with the various statements concerning the restarting of operations at nuclear power stations, which have given the impression of disunity in the Cabinet. Did you or the Prime Minister provide any explanations about this issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As I stated in my press conference yesterday, it is most regrettable that the current matter has caused so much inconvenience and worry for the public and for the residents of Genkai town and Saga Prefecture in particular. The coordination of all matters relating to the Cabinet is my responsibility under the leadership of the Prime Minister, and I feel very sorry that such a situation has arisen. We must make every effort to provide an easily understandable explanation as quickly as possible and efforts are being finalized towards that end.

REPORTER: I have heard that in ministerial roundtable discussions it was mentioned that such an explanation should be provided "by today."

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The quicker an explanation can be provided the better, and we are working to issue an explanation as quickly as possible. However, on the other hand, we are also mindful of the fact that any explanation that is given must not further confuse matters, and therefore work is underway to provide a clear explanation at the earliest possible juncture.

REPORTER: I refer to a question I also made yesterday, concerning Minister Kaieda's statement in the Diet Budget Affairs Committee, which could be construed as him expressing a wish to resign. Do you believe that Minister Kaieda was expressing an intention to resign?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I do not claim to know the inner thoughts of Minister Kaieda, but I believe that his feelings of dedication and mine are one and the same.