Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Q&As

REPORTER: Yesterday in a meeting of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Reconstruction, the Prime Minister made a comment concerning the future nationalization of nuclear power stations. What are your views on the nationalization of nuclear power stations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Government has requested the Investigation and Verification Committee on the Accidents at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company to investigate the recent incident, including the systems in place prior to its occurrence. As it is the case that the future format for nuclear power generation will be subject to a fundamental reform based on these investigations, I believe that the Prime Minister made this statement without making any premature assumptions. I think, therefore, that a judgment should be made after viewing the investigations of the committee into the already existing systems and structures in place.

REPORTER: But would you say that there is a possibility of the nuclear power stations being nationalized at some point in the future?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I believe that fundamental considerations will be required without making any prejudgments, based on the findings of the Investigation and Verification Committee.

REPORTER: I believe that Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO) and Kansai Electric Power Company have issued requests to resume normal operations at the Tomari Nuclear Power Station and Oi Nuclear Power Station, respectively. As these are both power stations that are currently operating, would it be the case under the unified view you presented the other day that these power stations would be subject to the implementation of a secondary assessment?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: There have been a number of press reports about this matter. I have received reports that considerations are currently underway at the working level, in accordance with laws and regulations. A stage has not yet been reached where a final conclusion can be made.

REPORTER: Does this mean that it has not yet been decided whether Tomari and Oi Nuclear Power Stations will be subject to a primary or secondary assessment, or will not be subject to either assessment?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Based on existing laws and regulations and the policy that I was involved in compiling, a working level process of consideration is currently being implemented. At this point, I do not think that it is for me to make an advanced judgment concerning the outcome of such considerations.

REPORTER: Will it be Minister Kaieda, as the minister with jurisdiction, who will take responsibility in coming to a final decision or will Minister Hosono and yourself be involved in considerations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The legal authority resides with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, but in view of the nuclear incident, matters relating to nuclear power generation are something that the Cabinet as a whole is engaging in various discussions and considerations on. At some point in the not-too-distant future I believe that a judgment will be made in accordance with the basic line that I have just mentioned.

REPORTER: Yesterday the National Governors' Association issued an emergency proposal to the Government. Given that is very unusual for this body to criticize the Government, what are your views on this matter?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: With regard to recovery and reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and also with regard to the format for nuclear power administration following the nuclear incident, I think that it is only natural for various opinions to emerge from prefectural governors, who are responsible for government administration that is closer to the public and local residents than that of central government. The Government has made concerted efforts to date, but will seriously consider the opinions provided by the National Governors' Association, and it will be important for the Government to make efforts to improve any areas that require improvement.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question concerning elevated volumes of radiation in school yards. The city of Koriyama issued a request to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to dispose of the topsoil that has been removed from school yards in the city. TEPCO refused this request and Koriyama now faces a situation in which it will have to dispose of the soil itself. Local parents are extremely worried about the current situation. What are your views on where responsibility lies for burying this soil?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The allocation of responsibility is something that is difficult to determine in general terms, given the fact that there are different types of responsibility, including social and legal. However, in view of the nuclear incident, in a broad sense I would say that social responsibility lies with TEPCO, the power station operator, and also ultimately with the Government, which has promoted the nuclear power administration to date.

REPORTER: This evening the Prime Minister is scheduled to give a press conference. What sort of message do you think that he will convey?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: As the Prime Minister himself will be giving a press conference, I think it would be rather strange for me, as Chief Cabinet Secretary, to try and predict what he is going to say in advance.

REPORTER: Setting aside the actual content of this evening's press conference, the Prime Minister has recently been making various statements, in responses to Diet questions and other fora, about such issues as energy policy and the direction for nuclear power. These statements are coming from a Prime Minister who has already announced his intention to resign, and apart from the administrative issues that emerge on a daily basis, he is also speaking about the future direction of Japan, 10 or 20 years down the line, which seems a bit strange, given his impending resignation. In a situation in which there is a possibility that a Prime Minister will be appointed as a result of the leadership contest who has different views to Prime Minister Kan, do you think there is any point in the Prime Minister setting out long-term indicators?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: I am not in any position to predict in advance what the Prime Minister will say in today's press conference, nor am I privy at the current point to what he intends to say. Given this fact there is little point in me attempting to respond to a question about what kinds of things the Prime Minister will talk about this evening.

(Abridged)