Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: First, regarding the subject of the shipment restrictions on beef cattle on which there were questions this morning, I would like to report that the Government has decided to shift from banning shipments across-the-board to approving managed shipments.

Today, pursuant to the provision of Article 20 Paragraph 3 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, we have decided to partially lift the restrictions on the transfer of cattle fed in Fukushima, Iwate, and Tochigi Prefectures to locations in other prefectures and their shipment to slaughterhouses, and issued instructions to this effect to the Governors of Fukushima Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture, and Tochigi Prefecture. Similar to the instructions issued to Miyagi Prefecture a few days ago, these measures are premised on the notion that each prefecture establishes safety management systems, including appropriate cattle feeding management systems and blanket examinations, and ensures proper shipment management systems. Specifically, each prefecture will responsibly manage measures to thoroughly implement appropriate feeding management systems and ensure that contaminated rice straw is no longer used and is isolated. Cattle farms that fed contaminated rice straw or cattle farms that are not conducting on-site inspections of contaminated rice straw, etc., will be subject to blanket examinations. Cattle farms other than those subject to the blanket examinations must test at least one of the cattle included in the first shipment. Shipment will be approved if the test findings reveal radiation readings below 50Bq/kg. Now, while the media is reporting that shipment restrictions have been lifted, let me reiterate. The lifting of restrictions does not mean that all of shipment restrictions are "freed." This is a shift from an across-the-board shipment ban to the approval of managed shipments. Through discussions with the prefectures, it was confirmed that shipment management will be thoroughly ensured, and this is what led to the latest decision. As for Fukushima Prefecture, the procedures to lift the restrictions for cattle beef not fed with contaminated rice straw had been held off as there was a reported case of radiation readings exceeding the provisional regulation values. We have been studying the cause, and it has come to light that the imported coarse feed - dried grass - were contaminated by radiation fallout due to their improper management. The cause is the same as that of contaminated rice straw. Therefore, we have judged that it is possible to prevent the recurrence by carrying out appropriate feeding management. In other words, although the feed was imported, it was kept in a place where radioactive materials may adhere to it. Based on this case, bearing also in mind that the farm which had shipped these cattle in question is located in an area with a high air dosage, additional inspections were conducted for 24 farms in the vicinity of this farm. For one farm that was considered to have managed coarse feed improperly similar to the other farm, a follow-up inspection is being carried out of the cattle beef that was shipped. If, in the future, the blanket examinations, etc., in Fukushima, Iwate, and Tochigi Prefectures identify cattle with radiation readings which exceed the provisional regulation values set forth in the Food Sanitation Act, these cattle will be eliminated. The discovery of these cattle in effect will demonstrate that the safety management systems are functioning. Therefore, I ask for your understanding on this point. For details, please direct your questions to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

Q&As

REPORTER: Regarding the partial removal of shipping restrictions, the term "partial lifting" gives the impression that the removal is partial in terms of being for certain areas only. Just to confirm, this actually means that removals are made under certain conditions, provided that management is enforced. Is that correct?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Yes, that is correct.

REPORTER: With regard to beef for which shipping restrictions were removed this time, you say that the beef is safe, but the current situation remains that consumers have yet to overcome their unease, or distrust, and these efforts are not contributing to consumption. Is the Government considering any response measures so as to encourage consumption?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: First, we have caused a great deal of worry for consumers. At the same time, we are doing everything we can to track down and reclaim all beef that is potentially contaminated and that has already been shipped by using traceability. With regard to future shipments of beef, we have implemented the current system, so I would like to ask for everyone's understanding that only safe beef is being shipped. However, it is a great shame that other agricultural products, not only beef alone, from areas around the nuclear power station that have been approved for shipment because they are safe have unfortunately suffered major price drops due to certain rumors, or that these products have not been properly distributed. I have consistently communicated orders to ensure safety for individual products, but I will work harder to provide explanations on securing overall safety so as to acquire the recognition and understanding of citizens. When reporting about this to the Prime Minister today, he gave me strong orders as well. Moreover, concerning individual products, and in particular, for example, fruits, which are a specialty of Fukushima Prefecture, from the onset of the disaster - how should I put it - it was thought that there was little risk of such products becoming contaminated by radioactive materials due to their growth characteristics. Nevertheless, such products are actually being thoroughly tested and no radioactive materials have been detected, but I have unfortunately received report that the situation remains that distribution-related personnel as well as consumers have yet to show understanding of this. The Government will exert further efforts in considering how to convey safety to consumers and in order to acquire their trust about the safety of these products.

REPORTER: On a related note, I would like to ask again about the background behind the spread of this problem. The MAFF conveyed to farmers in the form of a "notification" not to use contaminated rice straw. The result, however, was that many farmers indicated that they never heard or knew about such a notification. During the confusion of disaster reconstruction, were such notifications a method thorough enough to ensure the usage ban by farmers? At the present stage, where do you see problems existing in the Government's response until now? Or, weren't there any problems at all? Please tell us your thoughts on this.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: There is no question that we have ultimately caused a great deal of trouble for consumers, livestock farmers, and related businesses. In that regard, I deeply regret that I must openly accept the fact that our response was not perfect. Also, in addition to the issues of rice straw and beef, we have third-party investigation and verification being carried out in earnest on the nuclear power station incident by the Investigation and Verification Committee on the Accidents at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company. That said, as an official in charge, I also feel that we were unprepared to respond to such a large-scale earthquake and tsunami amidst - how should I phrase it - various unfavorable circumstance including in terms of lifelines. It is my honest opinion that the result of this was that during the initial stages in particular we produced rather insufficient results in terms of the Government assessing information directly after the nuclear power accident, providing various information and giving orders based on the assessed information. Not only nuclear power accidents, but disasters are also unpredictable in terms of where and when they will occur, so we must improve where we can as quickly as possible to enable us to properly gather and convey information in response to situations that greatly exceed current predictions. We have exerted efforts for this purpose until now, but honestly I think that we have still just begun.

REPORTER: This question is concerning the issue of when the prediction was made about a 10-meter tsunami potentially hitting TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which was brought up in this morning's press conference. I understand that you received a report from the Investigation and Verification Committee. When did you receive that report?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: The Investigation and Verification Committee is a completely independent institution that acts on its own. So, I did not receive any report from the Committee. I received a report from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), who was surveyed during the investigative process of the Committee. To repeat what I said earlier, it is tremendously important that the Investigation and Verification Committee conducts its activities as a highly independent organization. Thus, by nature, the Cabinet does not receive reports from the Committee or its secretariat. We will of course receive a final report or an offer for a report from the Committee once a certain degree of conclusion has been made. As such, by nature we do not receive unofficial reports at an intermediate stage, and we will continue to thoroughly ensure the existence of this structure in the future.

REPORTER: Changing the subject, this question is about the problem of waste incineration facilities in neighboring prefectures of Fukushima Prefecture not being able to store growing amounts of incinerated ash that has been contaminated with radioactive materials. It appears that local governments are very concerned, as some have even demanded that TEPCO personally pick up the ash. Is the Government considering some form of response to this problem?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY EDANO: Consultations have been carried out between related ministries concerning a policy on primary storage of such waste as well as the necessary budgetary measures for dealing with this problem. However, speaking honestly, if there is no area that is willing to accept this waste for intermediate management or final disposal purposes - this is not the kind of problem where TEPCO or the Government can just order people to bring the waste to a specific location for disposal - we have no choice but to take our time in carefully responding to the issue. Nevertheless, it is my understanding that related ministries are working on a solid response to ensuring safety for primary management of burnt waste in regions where it has been produced, as well as for necessary costs if any.

(Abridged)