Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: Regarding a different matter, I have a question on the launch of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency. With no date in sight for the start of the deliberations, Diet Affairs Committee Chair Koriki Jojima also stated yesterday that the April 1 launch will be difficult to achieve. What are your thoughts on this? Also, with the existing system remaining as a result, how do you intend to obtain the communities' understanding to make a decision on the restarting of operations at nuclear power stations?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: First, with regard to the bill, this has been submitted by the Government, and from there coordinations are being made within the Diet. The Government's position is that it would like the bill to be deliberated and passed as quickly as possible. And the other issue is -I believe your question was probably referring also to the implications on the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). Since NSC is to operate until the launch of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, to ensure that no problems arise in the meantime, including a blank period (in nuclear regulation), the Government intends to take appropriate responses based on the status of the deliberations on the bill.

(Abridged)