Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

JAPANESE

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would first like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 14 general and other measures, and also the promulgation of cabinet orders and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister of the Environment made a statement concerning the Basic Policy based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning Handling of Radioactive Pollution emitted following the nuclear power station accident caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. The Minister of Justice made a statement concerning the White Paper on Crime 2011. Minister Renho made a statement concerning "Family Day and Family Week" 2011. Prime Minister Noda made a statement concerning temporary acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are on an overseas visit.

In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Minister Renho made a statement concerning the implementation of actions to eliminate violence against women. The Minister of the Environment made a statement concerning a request for cooperation for efforts to enhance structures for decontamination operations and handling of contaminated waste materials.

I would like to provide a brief explanation of the Cabinet decision on the Basic Policy based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning Handling of Radioactive Pollution. In today's Cabinet meeting the Basic Policy based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning Handling of Radioactive Pollution was approved. This marks a first step towards the implementation of decontamination operations and the disposal of contaminated waste materials based on the law. In order to expedite the steady implementation of large-scale decontamination operations and the disposal of contaminated waste materials based on this Basic Policy, the Government must engage in concerted efforts, with the Ministry of the Environment leading cross-cutting governmental cooperation. In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting the Prime Minister gave instructions for a meeting of ministers concerned to be established, headed by the Chief Cabinet Secretary, and for maximum cooperation to be implemented in order to prepare a local structure and organization for decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture, including the dispatch of personnel from the various ministries concerned. Based on these instructions the Government will duly engage in concerted efforts to prepare a structure and organization for decontamination operations.

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Q&As

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REPORTER: Could you tell us more about the ministerial meeting for decontamination efforts that was brought up in the ministerial discussions, including what kind of meeting it will be, its purpose and when it will be convened?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: As you are all aware that the decontamination operations will be a tremendously large scale project, and in today's discussions the Prime Minister stated that although the Minister of the Environment had spoken about creating a structure for advancing decontamination operations, these operations are in fact the first step to the revival of Fukushima Prefecture and indeed the nation as a whole, and therefore the Government must work together on the creation of a robust and durable structure for the operations. In this way he stressed the need for a strong, durable structure. The current concept for the ministerial meeting to tackle this issue is that it will be attended by the Ministers of Environment; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; Economy, Trade and Industry; Health, Labour and Welfare; Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; and Defense. Arrangements and coordination efforts are underway towards the convening of the first meeting, although a date has yet to be fixed. However, it is important that this meeting should be launched as soon as possible.

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