Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

(Abridged)

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Also, I have another announcement. The second meeting of the Ministerial Meeting on Decontamination and Special Waste Treatment was held prior to today's Cabinet meeting. At the meeting, a report was made on matters such as the progress of the model test programs for decontamination that are being carried out for the implementation of full-fledged decontamination activities from next year and beyond. In order to move forward with full-fledged decontamination, it is essential that progress is made quickly to restore the functions of municipal offices, which will be playing a central role in the decontamination activities. To this end, the cooperation of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which have organizational strength and are able to carry out emergency responses, was being considered. The Minister of Defense reported on the overview of the decontamination activities that are expected to be implemented by the municipal offices of Namie Town, Tomioka Town, Naraha Town, and Iitate Village. Starting tomorrow, December 7, approximately 900 SDF members, consisting primarily of the members of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) 44th Infantry Regiment in Fukushima City and the GSDF 6th Artillery Regiment in Koriyama City, are scheduled to carry out decontamination activities for around two weeks in the four locations I mentioned a moment ago. The meeting reaffirmed that with regard to these ongoing initiatives, information will be shared with relevant ministers and the Government will make concerted efforts.

(Abridged)

Q&As

(Abridged)