Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

(Abridged)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the lifting of the designation of the Evacuation-Prepared Areas in case of Emergency. I believe today, the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters will be holding a meeting and is expected to lift the designation. If you wouldn't mind explaining again, can you discuss the prospects of the designation being lifted today and what the Government intends to do to enable the residents to quickly return to their homes, including decontamination and infrastructure development?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The designation of the Evacuation Prepared Areas in case of Emergency will be lifted today. A meeting of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters will be held this evening, and the lifting of the designation is expected to be approved at the meeting. The reconstruction plans submitted by each municipality indeed vary. The Government will offer firm support for the decontamination and other tasks, which will be carried out based on the reconstruction plans as much as possible.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: The House of Councillors is expected to establish an investigation committee for the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Nuclear Power Station. What is the Government's view on the establishment of this committee at the Diet, when the Government has already established the Investigation and Verification Committee on the Accident? Also, what are the Government's thoughts on maintaining a balance between the two committees?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: First, if I may begin with your question about maintaining balance, the Government's committee carries out thorough investigations and verifications from an extremely neutral position. Therefore, the Government is not in a position to say what should happen to this committee moving forward. The Government cannot comment on these matters regarding balance. Also, regarding the accident investigation committee to be established at the Diet, the Government intends to make utmost efforts and offer its maximum cooperation for their investigations into the accident.

(Abridged)