Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

(Abridged)

The second item I have to report concerns the international decontamination mission by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Government seeks to realize the return home at the earliest possible juncture of people who have been forced to evacuate due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and to eliminate the concerns of those affected and of the general public, and therefore is taking responsibility for the implementation of operations to remove and decontaminate radioactive materials. Given the need to advance decontamination activities more effectively, based on an agreement reached with the IAEA the Government decided to accept the dispatch to Japan of an international decontamination mission. Based on a request by the Government, the mission, comprising 12 IAEA and international experts, will visit Japan between October 7 to 15, 2011 to: (1) Provide assistance to Japan in its plans to manage decontamination efforts; (2) Review Japan's decontaminationstrategies, plans and work; and (3) Share its findings as lessons learned with the international community. The IAEA mission will exchange views with the Japanese authorities involved in the decontamination effort. It will also observe the model programs for decontamination being implemented onsite by Japan. In addition, at the end of the mission a report will be compiled by that IAEA, which will be made publicly available. The Government seeks to cooperate with the international community as it gathers knowledge from Japan and overseas to engage in decontamination operations, and it is expected that the acceptance of this IAEA mission will contribute to making these operations more expeditious and effective. For further details please direct your questions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Today the Biennial Convention of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) was held and a new policy was announced of leaving out nuclear power in the mid- to long-term. What is the Government's view of this policy and do you think it will have an impact on discussions within the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) administration, given than RENGO is one of the DPJ's supporters?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Today RENGO announced a policy under which it will aim to achieve a society that is not dependent on nuclear power. President Koga of RENGO has stated that it is necessary to reduce dependence on nuclear power in the mid- to long-term and ultimately aim for a society that does not depend on nuclear power. That was the gist of his comments I believe. The Government has already announced that the current Basic Energy Plan, which spanned the period until 2030, will be revised from a clean slate and a new strategy and plan will be announced by summer next year. Based on such perspectives as energy security and cost analysis, we will seek a wide range of opinions from the public concerning the best way for mid- to long-term energy policy to be constructed, and in cooperation with the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy and the New Policy-Planning Council on the Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy, the Energy and Environment Council will consider the various issues calmly. My understanding is that we will seek a wide range of opinions, which will inform our ongoing considerations.

(Abridged)