Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I think that in the policy speech the Prime Minister focused on relatively short-term challenges, including post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. Does this reflect the Prime Minister's own preferences and focuses?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Since his election as leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Prime Minister has focused on what he sees as the two major crises facing Japan. In his policy speech he reiterated that the most important thing is that all people in the nation, including ruling and opposition parties, the Government, politicians, the National Diet, the bureaucracy and everyone else truly work together as one to overcome these national crises. I think that it is natural to expect that the policy speech should contain some ambitious targets for a future vision for Japan. However, on this occasion, the key point that the Prime Minister wanted to express was his determination to overcome the two major national crises we face, namely the earthquake and tsunami disasters and nuclear accident in the domestic context, and the economic and fiscal crisis in international terms. Beyond these challenges lie other frontiers, which were also mentioned by the Prime Minister.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question on the response to the nuclear power accident. The first round of temporary entry into the restricted area (the no-entry zone) has been completed, and if I am not mistaken, I believe the Government was contemplating the idea of starting the second round as early as the end of this month. From when do you expect residents to be able to make their second round of entry?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: By September 9 of last week, all residents who wished to make a temporary entry into the restricted area have done so in the first round, which began on May 10. As we now make the final arrangements for the implementation of the second round of temporary entry, we would further like to be able to meet the wishes of the residents, for example, to make the entry by their own cars. However, as to the question of from when this will start, the target date will be something like what you just mentioned, but I cannot yet say here that a date has been clearly decided.

REPORTER: You are considering allowing residents to make entries by their personal cars?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Yes. I believe the considerations being made right now for the next round is to allow residents to use their personal cars instead of buses, and if so, details such as how this will be done and in what order.

REPORTER: May I ask one more question? It is again about the response to the nuclear power accident, about lifting the designation of evacuation-prepared area in case of emergency (emergency evacuation preparation zones). I believe, based on the recovery plans received from local municipalities, the Government was considering the lifting of all such designations as early as by the end of this month. What is the status of the considerations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: You are referring to the evacuation-prepared area in case of emergency, correct?

REPORTER: Yes.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: In lifting the designations, I believe it is necessary that the respective communities establish recovery plans which include plans for the smooth relocation of residents, the resumption of public services such as schools and hospitals, and the decontamination of school grounds. These recovery plans need to be established based on the actual situation of the communities, and considerations are now being made in each municipality. Once these recovery plans are formulated, I suspect all designations of evacuation-prepared area in case of emergency will be lifted. While the plan is to lift the designations at the same time, I cannot immediately say when it will be at this moment in time.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Changing the subject a little, it seems that yesterday the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture commented on the conditions for restarting the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station. The Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station was shut down upon the request of the Government in May. If I may confirm once again, what is your view on restarting the operations of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Our view, not just of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, but of all nuclear power stations currently shut down is as was explained in the response of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Edano in his press conference at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry yesterday. Each and every nuclear power station will be carefully inspected. On that basis, whether or not the nuclear power stations will be restarted is, I believe, an individual matter.

REPORTER: I'm sorry to ask another question. However, meanwhile, when the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station was shut down upon the Government's request, the power station was shut down because of the high probability that the Tokai earthquake will strike Shizuoka Prefecture. In his policy speech today, the Prime Minister said throughout that the operations will be restarted following regular inspections. Then, is my understanding correct that the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station is also one of the nuclear power stations included in this framework?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I believe that is our understanding.

(Abridged)