Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Yesterday in an appearance on a program of a private television broadcaster, the Prime Minister stated that the Government is giving consideration to providing financial support to local governments willing to accept debris for processing disposal from the disaster-affected areas. Could you tell us if any specific considerations are being given to this issue within the Government?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The Ministry of the Environment is engaged in specific considerations with regard to this matter. The measures being considered are two-fold. The first is central government financial support for expanded and enhanced measurement of radiation and measurements at waste processing facilities, in addition to which, if a request is made by a recipient local government, the central government will work together with the local government in question to implement radiation measurement. The second measure is that the central government will provide financial support for expenses arising from the construction or expansion of waste disposal facilities in order to process debris from the disaster-affected areas. These are the two measures on which considerations have been initiated. Wide-area disposal of debris is an extremely important challenge and it is through such support measures as I have just mentioned that the Government wishes to facilitate the disposal of debris as soon as possible, which will lead to reconstruction of the disaster-affected regions.

(Abridged)