Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

(Abridged)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: With regard to the case in which radioactive cesium falling as precipitation suddenly increased at the beginning of this month in Fukushima City, the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) yesterday sought to confirm the cause of this increase. What will be the Government's response to this issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I have seen the press article you mentioned and I was somewhat confused at the content because it is actually the role of the NSC to analyze the causes of such events. In response to a request from NSC, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the body responsible for taking the measurements of cesium, is confirming the figures and comparing them to others recorded in the prefecture. With regard to the change in the amounts of cesium recorded in precipitation, in addition to the possibility of discrepancies in measurements, there is also the possibility that the change was a temporary one, caused by natural phenomena, such as uptake of cesium carried by the wind. Whatever the case, I am aware that the final analysis and evaluation of this matter will be implemented by the NSC.

(Abridged)