Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The application of the reconstruction budget

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I would like to ask a question in relation to the application of the reconstruction budget. I believe that yesterday the Senior Vice Minister of Finance visited you to report on the progress of the detailed audit of the budget. I would like to ask when the Government is planning to announce the results of this audit and whether the Ministry of Finance or the Reconstruction Agency will be responsible for the compilation of this report.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I am aware that there were reports in the media on the reconstruction budget. There were a number of reports, and I have been informed that some of the reports were erroneous and lacked a sufficient understanding of the Basic Act on Reconstruction and the Basic Guidelines for Reconstruction. Yesterday Senior Vice Minister of Finance Fujita addressed these reports. Concerning these issues, the Government would like to give sincere explanations to the relevant parties and I would like to request that these matters are reported accurately. In order to ensure efficient and effective use of financial resources for reconstruction, the Government will identify how the reconstruction budget is being applied. Based on these results, the 2013 budget will only allocate funds to projects that truly require financial resources. This process will be led by the Ministry of Finance and the Reconstruction Agency.

(Abridged)